System for transferring information on attribute of, for example cd

ABSTRACT

Title information on music composition data recorded on a reproduction CD is acquired from a title information providing site and recorded on a recording MD together with composition data. A recording/reproducing apparatus ( 100 ) transmits TOC information acquired from the reproduction CD to a title information providing server ( 500 ) through a communication device ( 200 ), a wireless public communication network (WNET), a communication exchange ( 400 ), and the Internet (INET). The title information providing server ( 500 ) creates an inquiry code corresponding to the received TOC information and transmits it to a title information database ( 600 ). The title information database ( 600 ) sends a response code corresponding to the inquiry code as a reply to the title information providing server ( 500 ). The title information providing server ( 500 ) creates title information corresponding to the response code and transmits the title information to the recording/reproducing apparatus ( 100 ) through the devices and networks in the reverse direction to the direction in which the TOC information is transmitted. In the communication paths, the communication methods are converted for the respective devices.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to a system for transferringattribute information, attribute information providing server, methodfor transferring attribute information, communication apparatus andprogram.

BACKGROUND ART

[0002] A recording/reproducing apparatus capable of recording musiccomposition data (voice signal) acquired by reproducing a CD (CompactDisc), etc., on an MD (Mini Disc), etc., is known.

[0003] An MD is provided with a U-TOC (User's Table Of Contents) as anarea for recording title information composed of track titles, etc., foreach disc title and music composition data piece.

[0004] After recording music composition data on the MD, therecording/reproducing apparatus can register disc titles and tracktitles, etc. (title information) entered by the user in the U-TOC of theMD.

[0005] On the other hand, a service of providing information oncommercially available music CDs for users who access over the Internetis becoming a common practice. A disc information database for providingsuch a service prestores detailed information (attribute information) onvarious kinds of commercially available music CDs in a database systemand supplies the attribute information at the request from a requestingdevice.

[0006] The user can easily acquire information on music CD titles, musictitles, artists, etc., (attribute information) using the discinformation database through a music-related site. However, when theinformation acquired from the disc information database is registered inthe U-TOC of an MD, the user needs to operate a predetermined operationsection (operation keys and remote control, etc.) of therecording/reproducing apparatus to enter characters of information oneby one. Such an operation is troublesome to the user.

[0007] Furthermore, after the user registers information such as analbum title and music title in the U-TOC of the MD, therecording/reproducing apparatus can display the album title and musictitle, etc., on a display section during reproducing of the MD.

[0008] However, it is often the case that the user cannot easily graspthe image of the music or artist through the album title and musictitle, etc., displayed on the display section alone.

[0009] Thus, if an image related to the disc (e.g., picture on thejacket or artist image, etc.) can be displayed simultaneously with thereproduction of the disc such as MD, it is to be expected that this willallow the user to easily grasp the image of the music or artist andthereby enjoy the music in a more profound way.

[0010] When using the above-described disc information database, therequesting device sends TOC information for identifying a music CD to amusic-related site, etc. In this case, generally, the requesting deviceonly sends a minimum portion of the TOC information that can identifythe music CD instead of sending the full TOC information acquired fromthe music CD.

[0011] This may cause a plurality of attribute information pieces to besearched from the disc information database. In such a case, therequesting device will be presented a message that a plurality ofattribute information pieces has been searched or part of each attributeinformation piece (album title, etc.) sent from the music-related site,etc. on the display section and requested to select at least oneattribute information piece. Then, the requesting device continuescommunicating with or remains connected to the Internet until the userselects the attribute information, which results in extra communicationcharges.

[0012] That is, until the requesting device finishes acquiring theattribute information, the user needs to stay and check the requestingdevice and if a plurality of attribute information pieces has beensearched, the user needs to immediately instruct the requesting deviceto select some attribute information.

[0013] Especially when acquiring attribute information on a plurality ofmusic CDs, the user needs to check the requesting device over a longtime until the requesting device finishes acquiring the attributeinformation.

[0014] As stated above, to access the music-related site, the requestingdevice needs to get connected to the Internet using some communicationapparatus. When this communication apparatus is a wireless communicationapparatus (mobile wireless communication device) such as a portablephone, a strong electric field generated during a communication maycause some influence on the requesting device or the operation thereof.

[0015] For example, when the requesting device is a recording apparatus(recording/reproducing apparatus), it is affected by a strong electricfield and the recording quality may deteriorate. That is, while therecording apparatus (recording/reproducing apparatus) is recording musiccomposition data if the portable phone, etc., is used to communicatewith the music-related site, etc., noise or a noise signal may be mixedin the data.

[0016] To avoid the influence of such a strong electric field, therecording apparatus (recording/reproducing apparatus) may be protectedwith an electromagnetic shield material, etc., but this is not quiterealistic because it would involve a cost increase.

[0017] The present invention has been implemented taking into accountthe actual situations described above and it is an object of the presentinvention to make it possible to acquire attribute information of musiccomposition recorded on a reproducing medium from an informationproviding site and easily record it in a recording medium, etc.

[0018] Furthermore, it is another object of the present invention toeasily acquire attribute information of music composition and provide anavailable system and method.

[0019] Furthermore, it is a further object of the present invention toeasily acquire attribute information of music composition and provide anavailable apparatus.

[0020] Furthermore, it is a still further object of the presentinvention to make it possible to appropriately provide attributeinformation on music composition recorded on a reproducing medium.

[0021] The present invention has been implemented taking into accountthe actual situations described above and it is a still further objectof the present invention to provide a recording/reproducing apparatuscapable of appropriately recording music composition data, etc., takinginto account influences of communications by communication apparatuses.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

[0022] In order to attain the above objects, a system for transferringinformation on attribute according to a first viewpoint of the presentinvention is comprising a recording/reproducing apparatus thatreproduces music composition data from a reproducing medium and recordsthe music composition data on a recording medium and an attributeinformation providing server which is connected to therecording/reproducing apparatus through a communication and providesattribute information indicating an attribute of the music compositiondata recorded on the reproducing medium, wherein therecording/reproducing apparatus comprising: identification informationacquiring means for acquiring identification information on thereproducing medium from the reproducing medium; identificationinformation transmitting means for transmitting the identificationinformation acquired from the identification information acquiring meansto the attribute information providing server; attribute informationreceiving means for receiving the attribute information sent from theattribute information providing server; and recording means forrecording the attribute information received by the attributeinformation receiving means on a recording medium, and the attributeinformation providing server comprising: identification informationreceiving means for receiving the identification information sent fromthe identification information transmitting means; attribute informationacquiring means for acquiring attribute information corresponding to theidentification information received from the identification informationreceiving means by accessing an attribute information database in whichattribute information is prestored; and attribute informationtransmitting means for transmitting the attribute information acquiredfrom the attribute information acquiring means to therecording/reproducing apparatus through a communication.

[0023] The system for transferring information on attribute may furthercomprise a communication apparatus which is connected to theidentification information transmitting means and the attributeinformation receiving means of the recording/reproducing apparatus,transmits the identification information transmitted from theidentification information transmitting means to the attributeinformation providing server according to a predetermined communicationsystem, receives the attribute information sent back from the attributeinformation providing server according to the predeterminedcommunication system in response to the transmission of theidentification information and provides the received attributeinformation to the attribute information receiving means.

[0024] The system for transferring information on attribute may furthercomprise a communication exchange apparatus which is connected to thecommunication apparatus via a public communication network, connected tothe attribute information providing server via a network, receives theidentification information from the recording/reproducing apparatus viathe public communication network, converts a protocol and then sends theidentification information to the attribute information providing serverthrough the network, receives the attribute information sent back fromthe attribute information providing server in response to thetransmission of the identification information through a network,converts the protocol and then sends the attribute information to therecording/reproducing apparatus via the public communication network.

[0025] The attribute information database may receive identificationinformation sent from the attribute information providing serveraccording to a predetermined communication system, acquire attributeinformation according to the received identification information andsend the acquired attribute information to the attribute informationproviding server according to the predetermined communication system.

[0026] The recording/reproducing apparatus may further comprise signaltransmitting means for transmitting a first signal corresponding to thestart of recording of the music composition data for the recordingmedium and a second signal corresponding to the end of recording of themusic composition data for the recording medium to the communicationapparatus, and the communication apparatus may further comprise signalreceiving means for receiving the first and second signals from therecording/reproducing apparatus; and communication suppressing means forsuppressing a wireless communication in response to the reception of thefirst signal by the signal receiving means and canceling the suppressionof the wireless communication in response to the reception of the secondsignal by the signal receiving means.

[0027] The recording/reproducing apparatus may further comprise: firstsignal transmitting means for transmitting a first signal correspondingto the completion of the reception of the attribute information by theattribute information receiving means to the communication apparatus;recording starting means for starting the recording of the musiccomposition data on the recording medium after transmitting the firstsignal; and second signal transmitting means for transmitting a secondsignal corresponding to the completion of the recording of the musiccomposition data on the recording medium to the communication apparatus,and the communication apparatus may further comprise: signal receivingmeans for receiving the first and second signals from therecording/reproducing apparatus; and communication suppressing means forsuppressing a wireless communication in response to the reception of thefirst signal by the signal receiving means and canceling the suppressionof the wireless communication in response to the reception of the secondsignal.

[0028] The recording/reproducing apparatus may further comprise signaltransmitting means for transmitting a first signal to the communicationapparatus in response to the transmission of the identificationinformation from the identification information transmitting means tothe attribute information providing server through the communicationapparatus and transmitting a second signal to the communicationapparatus in response to the end of the recording of the musiccomposition data on the recording medium, and the communicationapparatus may further comprise: signal receiving means for receiving thefirst and second signals sent from the signal transmitting means;communication suppressing means for suppressing a wireless communicationin response to the reception of the first signal by the signal receivingmeans, canceling the suppression of the wireless communication inresponse to the reception of the second signal and enabling thereception of the attribute information provided from the attributeinformation providing server; and means for supplying the attributeinformation received through a wireless communication to the attributeinformation receiving means of the recording/reproducing apparatus.

[0029] The communication suppressing means suppresses a wirelesscommunication while enabling execution of processing involving nowireless communication.

[0030] The communication apparatus may further comprise: incoming callnotification information transmitting means for transmitting incomingcall notification information for notifying the arrival of a wirelesscommunication to the recording/reproducing apparatus; and communicationend information transmitting means for transmitting communication endinformation for notifying the end of the wireless communication to therecording/reproducing apparatus, and the recording/reproducing apparatusmay further comprise: incoming call notification information receivingmeans for receiving incoming call notification information sent from theincoming call notification information transmitting means; recordingsuppressing means for temporarily suppressing the recording of the musiccomposition data on the recording medium in response to the reception ofthe incoming call notification information by the incoming callnotification information receiving means; communication end informationreceiving means for receiving the communication end information sent bythe communication end information transmitting means; and recordingresuming means for resuming the recording of the music composition datatemporarily suppressed by the recording suppressing means on therecording medium in response to the reception of the communication endinformation by the communication end information receiving means.

[0031] The attribute information providing server may comprise: imageinformation table that prestores image information corresponding to theidentification information from the recording/reproducing apparatus bythe identification information transmitting means; image informationacquiring means for acquiring the image information stored inassociation with the identification information received by theidentification information receiving means from the image informationtable; and image information transmitting means for transmitting theimage information acquired from the image information acquiring means tothe communication apparatus, and the communication apparatus maycomprise: image information receiving/storing means for receiving andstoring the image information sent from the attribute informationproviding server by the image information transmitting means; anddisplaying means for displaying an image according to the imageinformation stored in the image information receiving/storing means.

[0032] The attribute information providing server may comprise: an imageinformation table that prestores image information corresponding to theidentification information from the recording/reproducing apparatus bythe identification information transmitting means; image informationacquiring means for acquiring the image information stored inassociation with the identification information received by theidentification information receiving means from the image informationtable; and image information transmitting means for transmitting theimage information acquired by the image information acquiring means tothe communication apparatus, the communication apparatus may comprise:image information transferring means for transferring the imageinformation sent from the attribute information providing server by theimage information transmitting means to the recording/reproducingapparatus; and displaying means for displaying an image according to theimage information forwarded from the recording/reproducing apparatus,and the recording/reproducing apparatus comprising: image informationstoring means for storing the image information transferred by the imageinformation transferring means; and image information forwarding meansfor forwarding the image information stored in the image informationstoring means to the communication apparatus.

[0033] The attribute information database may provide image informationcorresponding to identification information together with attributeinformation, the attribute information providing server may compriseimage information transmitting means for transmitting the attributeinformation and image information provided by the attribute informationdatabase to the communication apparatus, and the communication apparatusmay comprise image information receiving/storing means for receiving andstoring image information sent from the attribute information providingserver by the image information transmitting means and displaying meansfor displaying images according to the image information stored in theimage information receiving/storing means.

[0034] The attribute information database may provide image informationcorresponding to identification information together with attributeinformation, the attribute information providing server may compriseimage information transmitting means for transmitting the attributeinformation and image information provided by the attribute informationdatabase to the communication apparatus, the communication apparatus maycomprise image information transferring means for transferring imageinformation sent from the attribute information providing server to therecording/reproducing apparatus and displaying means for displayingimages according to the image information forwarded from therecording/reproducing apparatus, and the recording/reproducing apparatusmay comprise image information storing means for storing the imageinformation transferred by the image information transferring means andimage information forwarding means for forwarding the image informationstored in the image information storing means to the communicationapparatus.

[0035] The attribute information providing server may further include acalculation reference table that prestores information indicating acalculation reference of an accounting sum for the attribute informationprovided, accounting sum calculating means for calculating an accountingsum according to the calculation reference table about the attributeinformation to be sent to the recording/reproducing apparatus, and anaccounting sum recording table that records the accounting sumcalculated by the accounting sum calculating means for each of thecommunication apparatuses.

[0036] The identification information transmitting means may send theidentification information to the attribute information providing serveraccording to a predetermined communication system, and the attributeinformation receiving means may receive the attribute information sentback from the attribute information providing server according to thepredetermined communication system in response to the transmission ofthe identification information.

[0037] The system for transferring information on attribute may furthercomprise a communication exchange apparatus which is connected to therecording/reproducing apparatus via a public communication network,connected to the attribute information providing server via a network,receives the identification information from the recording/reproducingapparatus via the public communication network, converts a protocol andthen sends the identification information to the attribute informationproviding server via the network, receives the attribute informationsent back from the attribute information providing server in response tothe transmission of the identification information via a network,converts the protocol and then sends the attribute information to therecording/reproducing apparatus via the public communication network.

[0038] The attribute information database may receive identificationinformation sent from the attribute information providing serveraccording to a predetermined communication system, acquire attributeinformation according to the identification information received andsend the attribute information acquired to the attribute informationproviding server according to the predetermined communication system.

[0039] The recording/reproducing apparatus may further comprisecommunication suppressing means for suppressing a wireless communicationin response to the start of recording of the music composition data onthe recording medium and canceling the suppression of the wirelesscommunication in response to the end of recording of the musiccomposition data on the recording medium.

[0040] The recording/reproducing apparatus may further comprise:recording suppressing means for temporarily suppressing the recording ofthe music composition data on the recording medium in response to thearrival of a wireless communication; and recording resuming means forresuming the recording of the music composition data on the recordingmedium in response to the end of the wireless communication.

[0041] The recording resuming means may resume the recording on therecording medium from the start of the music composition data whoserecording is suppressed by the recording suppressing means.

[0042] The recording resuming means may substantially erase anintermediate portion of music composition data to be recorded at a timepoint of suppressing the recording by the recording suppressing meansand resume the recording of the music composition data from the start ofthe intermediate portion on the recording medium.

[0043] The attribute information providing server may further comprise acalculation reference table that prestores information indicating acalculation reference of an accounting sum for the attribute informationprovided, accounting sum calculating means for calculating an accountingsum according to the calculation reference table about the attributeinformation to be sent to the recording/reproducing apparatus and anaccounting sum recording table that records the accounting sumcalculated by the accounting sum calculating means for each of therecording/reproducing apparatuses or communication apparatuses.

[0044] The identification information transmitting means may transmitthe identification information including sender information foridentifying the recording/reproducing apparatus to the attributeinformation providing server, and the attribute information providingserver may send the attribute information acquired by accessing theattribute information database to the recording/reproducing apparatuscorresponding to the sender information sent by the identificationinformation transmitting means.

[0045] The identification information may include TOC information on thenumber of music pieces recorded and recording time of the musiccomposition data recorded on the reproducing medium, and the attributeinformation may include at least one of information pieces of a disctitle, music title, composer, music score, and lyrics.

[0046] In order to attain the above objects, an attribute informationproviding server according to a second viewpoint of the presentinvention is that reproduces music composition data from a reproducingmedium and is connected to a recording/reproducing apparatus forrecording the music composition data on a recording medium through acommunication, comprising: identification information receiving meansfor receiving identification information sent from therecording/reproducing apparatus; attribute information acquiring meansfor acquiring attribute information corresponding to the identificationinformation received by the identification information receiving meansby accessing an attribute information database that prestores attributeinformation; and attribute information transmitting means fortransmitting the attribute information acquired by the attributeinformation acquiring means to the recording/reproducing apparatusthrough a communication.

[0047] The attribute information providing server may further comprise:an image information table that prestores image information specific toeach of the identification information pieces; image informationacquiring means for acquiring image information stored in associationwith the identification information received from therecording/reproducing apparatus from the image information table; andimage information transmitting means for transmitting the imageinformation acquired by the image information acquiring means to therecording/reproducing apparatus.

[0048] The attribute information providing server may further include acalculation reference table that prestores information indicating acalculation reference of an accounting sum for the attribute informationprovided, accounting sum calculating means for calculating an accountingsum according to the calculation reference table about the attributeinformation to be sent to the recording/reproducing apparatus and anaccounting sum recording table that records the accounting sumcalculated by the accounting sum calculating means for each of thecommunication apparatuses.

[0049] The identification information may include TOC information on thenumber of music pieces and recording time of the music composition datarecorded on the reproducing medium, and the attribute information mayinclude at least one of information pieces of a disc title, musiccomposition title, composer, musical scores and lyrics.

[0050] In order to attain the above objects, a method for transferringinformation on attribute according to a third viewpoint of the presentinvention is comprising a recording/reproducing apparatus thatreproduces music composition data from a reproducing medium and recordsthe music composition data on a recording medium and an attributeinformation providing server that is connected to therecording/reproducing apparatus through a communication and providesattribute information indicating an attribute of the music compositiondata recorded on the reproducing medium, comprising: an identificationinformation acquiring step of acquiring identification information onthe reproducing medium; an identification information transmitting stepof transmitting the identification information acquired in theidentification information acquiring step to the attribute informationproviding server through the communication; an identificationinformation receiving step of receiving the identification informationsent in the identification information transmitting step by theattribute information providing server; an attribute informationacquiring step of acquiring attribute information corresponding to theidentification information received in the identification informationreceiving step by accessing an attribute information database thatprestores attribute information; attribute information transmitting stepof transmitting the attribute information acquired in the attributeinformation acquiring step to the recording/reproducing apparatusthrough the communication; an attribute information receiving step ofreceiving the attribute information sent from the attribute informationproviding server by the recording/reproducing apparatus; and a recordingstep of recording the attribute information received in the attributeinformation receiving step on a recording medium.

[0051] In order to attain the above objects, a communication apparatusaccording to a fourth viewpoint of the present invention is which isconnected to a reproducing apparatus for reproducing music compositiondata from a reproducing medium and communicates with an informationproviding server for providing image information on the reproducingmedium on demand, comprising: identification information receiving meansfor receiving identification information of the reproducing medium sentfrom the reproducing apparatus; image information receiving means fortransmitting the identification information received by theidentification information receiving means to the information providingserver and receiving the image information sent back from theinformation providing server in response to the transmission of theidentification information; and image information storing means forstoring the image information received by the image informationreceiving means in association with the identification informationreceived by the identification information receiving means.

[0052] The communication apparatus may further comprise: deciding meansfor deciding whether or not to store the image information received bythe image information receiving means in the image information storingmeans; and image information transmitting means for transmitting theimage information received by the image information receiving means tothe reproducing apparatus when the deciding means decides that the imageinformation is not stored in the image information storing means.

[0053] In order to attain the above objects, a communication apparatusaccording to a fifth viewpoint of the present invention is which isconnected to a reproducing apparatus for reproducing music compositiondata from a reproducing medium and communicates with an informationproviding server for providing image information on the reproducingmedium on demand, comprising: image information storing means forstoring image information related to the reproducing medium inassociation with identification information for identifying thereproducing medium; identification information receiving means forreceiving identification information of the reproducing medium sent fromthe reproducing apparatus; acquiring means for acquiring the targetimage information from the image information storing means according tothe identification information received by the identificationinformation receiving means; and displaying means for displaying animage according to the image information acquired by the acquiringmeans.

[0054] In order to attain the above objects, a communication apparatusaccording to a sixth viewpoint of the present invention is which isconnected to a reproducing apparatus for reproducing music compositiondata from a reproducing medium and communicates with an informationproviding server for providing image information on the reproducingmedium on demand, comprising: instruction information receiving meansfor receiving image information on the reproducing medium sent from thereproducing apparatus and instruction information for instructing thedisplay of the image; and displaying means for displaying the imageaccording to the image information received by the instructioninformation receiving means in response to the instruction informationreceived by the instruction information receiving means.

[0055] In order to attain the above objects, a communication apparatusaccording to a seventh viewpoint of the present invention is which isconnected to a reproducing apparatus for reproducing music compositiondata from a reproducing medium and communicates with an informationproviding server for providing image information on the reproducingmedium on demand, comprising: image information storing means forstoring image information on the reproducing medium in association withidentification information for identifying the reproducing medium;identification information receiving means for receiving identificationinformation of the reproducing medium sent from the reproducingapparatus; deciding means for deciding whether the image informationcorresponding to the identification information received by theidentification information receiving means is stored in the imageinformation storing means or not; image information acquiring means foracquiring, when the deciding means decides that the image information isstored in the image information storing means, the corresponding imageinformation from the image information storing means and sending, whenthe deciding means decides that the image information is not stored inthe image information storing means, the identification informationreceived by the identification information receiving means to theinformation providing server and acquires image information sent backfrom the information providing server in response to the transmission ofthe identification information; and displaying means for displaying animage corresponding to the image information acquired by the imageinformation acquiring means.

[0056] In order to attain the above objects, a program according to aneighth viewpoint of the present invention is characterized by allowing acomputer to function as reproducing means for reproducing musiccomposition based on music composition data included in a reproducingmedium, recording means for recording the music composition reproducedby the reproducing means on a recording medium, identificationinformation acquiring means for acquiring identification information onthe reproducing medium from the reproducing medium, identificationinformation transmitting means for transmitting the identificationinformation acquired by the identification information acquiring meansto an attribute information providing server that provides attributeinformation indicating attributes of music composition data recorded onthe reproducing medium through a communication, attribute informationreceiving means for receiving attribute information sent from theattribute information providing server according to the identificationinformation sent by the identification information transmitting means,and recording means for recording the attribute information received bythe attribute information receiving means on the recording medium.

[0057] In order to attain the above objects, a program according to aninth viewpoint of the present invention is characterized by allowing acomputer to function as identification information receiving means forreceiving identification information on a reproducing medium sentthrough a communication, attribute information acquiring means foracquiring attribute information corresponding to the identificationinformation received by the identification information receiving meansby accessing an attribute information database that prestores attributeinformation, and attribute information transmitting means fortransmitting the attribute information acquired by the attributeinformation acquiring means to the sender of the identificationinformation corresponding to the attribute information through acommunication.

[0058] In order to attain the above objects, a program according to atenth viewpoint of the present invention is characterized by allowing acomputer to function as accounting sum calculating/recording means forcalculating an accounting sum about the attribute information sentaccording to the identification information of the reproducing mediumsent through a communication according to a calculation reference tablethat prestores information indicating a calculation reference of theaccounting sum for the attribute information provided and recording thecalculated accounting sum for each receiver of the attributeinformation.

[0059] In order to attain the above objects, a program according to aneleventh viewpoint of the present invention is characterized by allowinga computer to function as identification information transmitting meansfor transmitting identification information sent from arecording/reproducing apparatus that records music composition datareproduced from a reproducing medium on a recording medium to anattribute information providing server that provides attributeinformation indicating attributes of the music composition data recordedon the reproducing medium according to a predetermined communicationmethod, and attribute information receiving means for receiving theattribute information sent back from the attribute information providingserver in response to the transmission of identification information bythe identification information transmitting means and providing thereceived attribute information for the recording/reproducing apparatus.

[0060] In order to attain the above objects, a recording/reproducingapparatus according to a twelfth viewpoint of the present invention iswhich is connected to a communication apparatus that communicates withan attribute information providing server that provides attributeinformation including text information and image information on areproducing medium on demand and records music composition datareproduced from the reproducing medium on a recording medium,comprising: identification information acquiring means for acquiringidentification information for identifying the reproducing medium fromthe reproducing medium as the reproduction target; and identificationinformation transmitting means for transmitting the identificationinformation acquired by the identification information acquiring meansto the communication apparatus in order for the communication apparatusto receive a supply of attribute information from the attributeinformation providing server in connection with a reproducing/recordingoperation of recording the music composition data reproduced from thereproducing medium on the recording medium.

[0061] The recording/reproducing apparatus may further comprise:attribute information receiving means for receiving attributeinformation sent back from the communication apparatus which receives asupply of attribute information from the attribute information providingserver in response to the transmission of the identification informationby the identification information transmitting means; attributeinformation storing means for storing the attribute information receivedby the attribute information receiving means in association with theidentification information received by the identification informationacquiring means; and attribute information displaying means fordisplaying the target attribute information stored in the informationstoring means when the target reproducing medium is loaded orreproduced.

[0062] The recording/reproducing apparatus may further comprise:attribute information receiving means for receiving attributeinformation sent back from the communication apparatus that has receiveda supply of attribute information from the attribute informationproviding server in response to the transmission of the identificationinformation by the identification information transmitting means; andrecording means for recording the attribute information received by theattribute information receiving means together with music compositiondata to be recorded on a recording medium.

[0063] The recording/reproducing apparatus may further comprise:deciding means for deciding whether attribute information is recorded onthe reproducing medium or not; transmission controlling means forsuppressing, when the deciding means decides that attribute informationis recorded, the transmission of identification information by theidentification information transmitting means; attribute informationacquiring means for acquiring, when the transmission controlling meanssuppresses the transmission of the identification information by theidentification information transmitting means, the attribute informationrecorded on the reproducing medium; and recording means for recordingthe attribute information acquired by the attribute informationacquiring means together with music composition data to be recorded on arecording medium.

[0064] The identification information transmitting means may transmitidentification information to the communication apparatus that hasreceived a supply of attribute information including image informationfrom the attribute information providing server in connection with areproducing operation of reproducing music composition data.

[0065] The recording/reproducing apparatus may further comprise: imageinformation acquiring means for acquiring image information on thereproducing medium as the reproduction target from the attributeinformation recording means; and instruction information transmittingmeans for transmitting the image information acquired by the imageinformation acquiring means and instruction information for instructinga display of the image information to the communication apparatus.

[0066] In order to attain the above objects, an information providingserver according to thirteenth viewpoint of the present invention iswhich provides attribute information indicating an attribute of musiccomposition data recorded on a reproducing medium at the request of arequesting device connected via a network, comprising: identificationinformation receiving means for receiving identification information foridentifying a reproducing medium sent from the requesting device;attribute information acquiring means for acquiring target attributeinformation according to the identification information received by theidentification information receiving means by accessing a database thatprestores a plurality of attribute information pieces; and accesscontrolling means for allowing the attribute information acquiring meansto access an arbitrary database and change the access target of theattribute information acquiring means to another database, when theattribute information acquiring means cannot acquire the targetattribute information and allowing the attribute information acquiringmeans to acquire the target attribute information.

[0067] In order to attain the above objects, an information providingserver according to a fourteenth viewpoint of the present invention iswhich provides attribute information indicating an attribute of musiccomposition data recorded on a reproducing medium at the request of arequesting device connected via a network, comprising: identificationinformation receiving means for receiving identification information foridentifying a reproducing medium sent from the requesting device;attribute information acquiring means for acquiring target attributeinformation according to the identification information received by theidentification information receiving means by sequentially accessing aplurality of databases that prestore a plurality of attributeinformation pieces; selecting means for selecting one out of a pluralityof attribute information pieces acquired by the attribute informationacquiring means according to a priority level based on a predetermineddata format of attribute information; and attribute information replyingmeans for replying the attribute information selected by the selectingmeans to the requesting device.

[0068] The information providing server may further comprise attributeinformation replying means for replying the attribute informationacquired by the attribute information acquiring means to the requestingdevice, wherein the access controlling means may stop a change of theaccess destination to other databases when the attribute informationacquiring means accesses an arbitrary database and acquires targetattribute information successfully.

[0069] The information providing server may further include specificinformation acquiring means for acquiring specific information forspecifying the requesting device, and identification information storingmeans for storing identification information received by theidentification information receiving means in association with thespecific information acquired by the specific information acquiringmeans.

[0070] The identification information storing means may store fixedinformation indicating the access source used by the attributeinformation acquiring means to access the database in association withthe specific information acquired by the specific information acquiringmeans.

[0071] The information providing server may further comprise, furthercomprising converting means for converting the attribute informationacquired by the attribute information acquiring means to a predetermineddata format that can be received by the requesting device.

[0072] In order to attain the above objects, a recording/reproducingapparatus according to a fifteenth viewpoint of the present invention iswhich is connected to a communication apparatus that communicates withan attribute information providing server that provides attributeinformation on a reproducing medium on demand and carries out areproducing/recording operation of recording the music composition datareproduced from the reproducing medium on a recording medium,comprising: identification information acquiring means for acquiringidentification information for identifying the reproducing medium fromthe reproducing medium as the reproduction target; identificationinformation transmitting means for transmitting the identificationinformation acquired by the identification information acquiring meansto the communication apparatus in order to request a supply of attributeinformation in a predetermined data format for the attribute informationproviding server; attribute information receiving means for receivingattribute information sent back by the communication apparatus inresponse to the transmission of identification information by theidentification information transmitting means; and recording means forrecording the attribute information received by the attributeinformation receiving means together with the music composition datarecorded on a recording medium.

[0073] The recording/reproducing apparatus may further comprise controlinstructing means for sending communication suppression information forinstructing the suppression of an information communication to thecommunication apparatus in synchronization with the start of areproducing/recording operation and sending suppression cancellationinformation for instructing the cancellation of the suppressedinformation communication to the communication apparatus insynchronization with the end of the reproducing/recording operation.

[0074] The identification information transmitting means may sendidentification information to the communication apparatus in connectionwith the end of the reproducing/recording operation.

[0075] The recording/reproducing apparatus may further compriseoperation controlling means for starting a reproducing/recordingoperation in connection with the reception of attribute information bythe attribute information receiving means.

[0076] The recording/reproducing apparatus may further comprise:communication suppression instructing means for sending communicationsuppression information for instructing the suppression of aninformation communication to the communication apparatus after theidentification information transmitting means sends identificationinformation; operation controlling means for starting areproducing/recording operation in connection with the transmission ofthe communication suppression information by the communicationsuppression instructing means; and suppression cancellation instructingmeans for sending suppression cancellation information for instructingthe cancellation of the suppressed information communication to thecommunication apparatus in connection with the end of thereproducing/recording operation started by the operation controllingmeans.

[0077] The recording/reproducing apparatus may further comprise:communication state detecting means for detecting the start and end ofan information communication in the communication apparatus; andoperation controlling means for stopping the reproducing/recordingoperation when the communication state detecting means detects the startof an information communication halfway through thereproducing/recording operation and resuming the reproducing/recordingoperation when the communication state detecting means detects the endof the information communication.

[0078] The operation controlling means may control thereproducing/recording operation carried out while storing musiccomposition data in a memory of a predetermined capacity, discard themusic composition data stored in the memory when the communication statedetecting means detects the start of an information communication andthe reproducing/recording operation is stopped and store the musiccomposition data corresponding to the discarded music composition datain the memory from the beginning when the communication state detectingmeans detects the end of the information communication and thereproducing/recording operation is resumed.

[0079] The operation controlling means may delete the music compositiondata being recorded on the recording medium from the recording mediumwhen the communication state detecting means detects the start of theinformation communication and stops the reproducing/recording operationand record the music composition data corresponding to the deleted musiccomposition data on the recording medium when the communication statedetecting means detects the end of the information communication and thereproducing/recording operation is resumed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0080]FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of asystem for transferring title information according to a firstembodiment of the present invention;

[0081]FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of arecording/reproducing apparatus in FIG. 1;

[0082]FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of aportable phone device in FIG. 1;

[0083]FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of atitle information providing server according to the embodiment of thepresent invention;

[0084]FIG. 5 is a flow chart to illustrate processing by therecording/reproducing apparatus and portable phone device according tothe first embodiment of the present invention;

[0085]FIG. 6 illustrates an example of contents of e-mail sent from therecording/reproducing apparatus to the title information providingserver in FIG. 1;

[0086]FIG. 7 is a flow chart to illustrate processing by thecommunication exchange, title information providing server and titleinformation database according to the embodiment of the presentinvention;

[0087]FIG. 8 is a flow chart to illustrate user authenticationprocessing in FIG. 7;

[0088]FIG. 9 is a flow chart to illustrate user accounting processing inFIG. 7;

[0089]FIG. 10 is a flow chart to illustrate processing by arecording/reproducing apparatus and portable phone device according to asecond embodiment of the present invention;

[0090]FIG. 11 is a flow chart to illustrate processing by arecording/reproducing apparatus and portable phone device according to athird embodiment of the present invention;

[0091]FIG. 12 is a flow chart to illustrate recording processinginvolving interruption by an incoming call in FIG. 11;

[0092]FIG. 13 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of asystem for transferring title information according to a fourthembodiment of the present invention;

[0093]FIG. 14 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of aportable phone device in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3;

[0094]FIG. 15 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of asystem for transferring title information according to a fifthembodiment of the present invention;

[0095]FIG. 16 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of arecording/reproducing apparatus in FIG. 15;

[0096]FIG. 17 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of aportable phone device in FIG. 15;

[0097]FIG. 18 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of asystem for transferring title information according to a sixthembodiment of the present invention;

[0098]FIG. 19 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of asystem for transferring title information according to a seventhembodiment of the present invention;

[0099]FIG. 20 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of areproducing apparatus in FIG. 19;

[0100]FIG. 21 is a flow chart to illustrate processing by thereproducing apparatus and portable phone device according to the seventhembodiment of the present invention;

[0101]FIG. 22 is a flow chart to illustrate processing by therecording/reproducing apparatus and portable phone device according tothe embodiment of the present invention;

[0102]FIG. 23 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of asystem for transferring title information according to a ninthembodiment of the present invention;

[0103]FIG. 24 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of thetitle information providing server in FIG. 23;

[0104]FIG. 25 is a flow chart to illustrate processing by the titleinformation providing server according to the ninth embodiment of thepresent invention;

[0105]FIG. 26 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of asystem for transferring title information according to a tenthembodiment of the present invention;

[0106]FIG. 27 is a flow chart to illustrate processing by the titleinformation providing server according to the tenth embodiment of thepresent invention;

[0107]FIG. 28 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of arecording/reproducing apparatus according to an eleventh embodiment ofthe present invention; and

[0108]FIG. 29 is a flow chart to illustrate processing by therecording/reproducing apparatus and portable phone device according tothe eleventh embodiment of the present invention.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0109] With reference now to the attached drawings, a system fortransferring title information according to embodiments of the presentinvention will be explained below.

[0110] (First Embodiment)

[0111]FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an overall configuration of thissystem for transferring title information. As shown in FIG. 1, thesystem for transferring title information is provided with arecording/reproducing apparatus 100, a portable phone device 200, acommunication exchange 400, a title information providing server 500 anda title information database 600 (DB). Then, the portable phone device200 and the communication exchange 400 are connected via a wirelesspublic communication network WNET. Furthermore, the communicationexchange 400, the title information providing server 500 and the titleinformation database DB 600 are connected via the Internet INET.Furthermore, the recording/reproducing apparatus 100 and the portablephone device 200 are connected via a signal cable CA.

[0112] The recording/reproducing apparatus 100 is a device to reproducea CD (compact disc) and record music composition data acquired on an MD(mini disc). As shown in FIG. 2, the recording/reproducing apparatus 100is constructed of a processing control section 110, a signal processingsection 120, an interface 130, a key input section 140, a displaysection 150, a memory 160, a recording/reproducing section 170 and a DAC(digital/analog converter) 180.

[0113] The processing control section 110 is constructed of a one-chipmicrocomputer, etc., including a CPU (Central Processing Unit) andperipheral LSI (Large Scale Integration) and controls the wholerecording/reproducing apparatus 100.

[0114] More specifically, the processing control section 110 controlsthe signal processing section 120 to reproduce a reproducing medium, forexample, a reproducing CD which is a reproducing target and record musiccomposition data obtained on a recording medium, for example, recordingMD which is a recording target through the recording/reproducing section170, etc.

[0115] Furthermore, the processing control section 110 controls thesignal processing section 120 to read TOC information from a TOC (TableOf Contents) in the reproducing target CD and send this TOC informationto the portable phone device 200 through the interface 130, etc.

[0116] This TOC information is information made up of the total numberof tracks, total playing time (minutes, seconds: frames), etc., and usedby the title information DB 600 as identification information toidentify the reproducing CD and obtain title information which isattribute information on the disk title of this reproducing CD and thetitle of the music composition, artist, composer, music score, lyrics,etc., recorded in each track of the reproducing CD.

[0117] Furthermore, the processing control section 110 receives thetitle information sent from the portable phone device 200 through theinterface 130 and records the title information received through thesignal processing section 120 and recording/reproducing section 170 on arecording MD.

[0118] The signal processing section 120 reproduces the reproducing CDand reads music composition data under the control of the processingcontrol section 110 and records the music composition data on therecording MD.

[0119] The interface 130 is provided with a connector whereby a signalcable CA is connected in a detachable manner and sends/receives datato/from the portable phone device 200 through the communication cableCA.

[0120] The key input section 140 consists of button switches and arotary switch, etc., is used to enter instruction information, etc.,according to an operation by the user and supplies the informationentered to the processing control section 110. For example, when theuser depresses a specific key, the key input section 140 suppliesinformation for instructing the recording (reproducing/recording) ofmusic composition data from a CD on an MD to the processing controlsection 110.

[0121] The display section 150 consists of an LCD (Liquid CrystalDisplay) panel, etc., is controlled by the processing control section110 and displays character strings, etc. For example, the displaysection 150 displays a track number of the music composition data beingrecorded and the remaining time until the recording is completed.

[0122] The memory 160 consists of a RAM (Random Access Memory), etc., isused as a work area, etc., for the processing control section 110 andstores various kinds of information.

[0123] The recording/reproducing section 170 is provided with an opticalhead or magnetic head, etc., reads data recorded on a CD loaded in thisrecording/reproducing apparatus 100, writes arbitrary data into an MDand reads data recorded on the MD.

[0124] The DAC (digital/analog converter) 180 converts digital musiccomposition data supplied to the signal processing section 120 to ananalog music composition signal and outputs the converted musiccomposition signal as voice (music composition tone) through anamplifier or speaker, etc.

[0125] The portable phone device 200 shown in FIG. 1 is constructed of aso-called cellular phone, PHS (Personal Handy-phone System), etc., andas shown in FIG. 3, is provided with a communication processing section210, a power supply section 220, an interface 230, a processing controlsection 240, a display section 250, a voice input section 260, a voiceoutput section 270 and a memory 280.

[0126] The communication processing section 210 is constructed of an RF(Radio Frequency) signal processing circuit (high frequency circuit),etc., transmits/receives a wireless communication signal to/from, forexample, a base station making up a mobile communication network, andcan thereby transmit/receive a call or e-mail.

[0127] The communication processing section 210 operates on powersupplied from the power supply section 220.

[0128] The power supply section 220 includes a battery 221 made up of,for example, a lithium secondary cell and generates power to be suppliedto various sections of this portable phone device 200.

[0129] The interface 230 is provided with a connector to which a signalcable CA is connected in a detachable manner and transmits/receives datato/from the recording/reproducing apparatus 100 connected through thesignal cable CA.

[0130] The processing control section 240 is constructed of, forexample, an MPU (Micro Processing Unit) or DSP (Digital SignalProcessor), etc., is used to control an overall operation of thisportable phone device 200 and provided with a power supply controlsection 241, a data processing section 243 and a voice processingsection 245.

[0131] The power supply control section 241 is intended to control asupply state of the power supplied from the power supply section 220 andthe power supply control section 241 changes the supply state of thepower to various sections according to power supply flag informationstored in the memory 280. For example, if the power supply flaginformation has a content indicating “suppress transmission/reception,”the power supply control section 241 supplies the power from the powersupply section 220 to various sections of this portable phone device 200except the communication processing section 210. On the other hand, whenthe power supply flag information has a content indicating“transmission/reception OK,” the power supply control section 241supplies the power to various sections of this portable phone device 200including the communication processing section 210.

[0132] The data processing section 243 executes data processing such ascreation and transmission/reception of e-mail and editing of telephonedirectory data, etc.

[0133] The voice processing section 245 is a voice signal processingsection provided with a CODEC (COder/DECoder), etc., and codes a voicesignal sent from the voice input section 260 and sends the coded signalto the communication processing section 210. Furthermore, the voiceprocessing section 245 reconstructs a voice signal from the signal sentfrom the communication processing section 210 and supplies it to thevoice output section 270.

[0134] The display section 250 is constructed of an LCD (Liquid CrystalDisplay), etc., on which the processing control section 240 displays animage according to various processing contents and processing results.Furthermore, as will be described later, the display section 250displays image information stored in the memory 280.

[0135] The voice input section 260 consists of a microphone, etc., picksup voice from the outside to compose a voice signal and sends the voicesignal generated to the voice processing section 245.

[0136] The voice output section 270 consists of a speaker, etc., andoutputs voice according to the voice signal received from the voiceprocessing section 245.

[0137] The memory 280 stores the above-described power supply flaginformation and a jacket picture, etc., which will be described laterunder the control of the processing control section 240.

[0138] The communication exchange 400 shown in FIG. 1 is a gateway thatcarries out a communication and exchange between the wireless publiccommunication network WNET and the Internet INET.

[0139] More specifically, when a message, etc., including information ofthe destination is sent from the portable phone device 200, thecommunication exchange 400 converts this message, etc., to an e-mailformat and sends it to the specified destination over the Internet INET.Furthermore, when e-mail for the portable phone device 200 is receivedthrough the Internet INET, the communication exchange 400 converts thecontent of this e-mail to a format according to a communication systemapplicable to the portable phone device 200 and sends it to the portablephone device 200 over the wireless public communication network WNET.

[0140] The title information providing server 500 is a server connectedto the Internet INET.

[0141] The title information providing server 500 sends the TOCinformation sent from the communication exchange 400 by e-mail to thetitle information DB 600 using HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol).

[0142] Furthermore, the title information providing server 500 sends thetitle information sent back from the title information DB 600 using HTTPto the user who requests this title information by e-mail.

[0143] As shown in FIG. 4, the title information providing server 500 isprovided with a communication processing section 510, a processingcontrol section 530 and a memory 550.

[0144] The communication processing section 510 is made up of a router,etc., controlled by the processing control section 530, communicates andconnects with the communication exchange 400 and the title informationDB 600 through the Internet INET and transmits/receives data to/from theconnection destination.

[0145] The processing control section 530 is intended to perform overallcontrol to receive the TOC information sent from therecording/reproducing apparatus 100, send this TOC information to thetitle information DB 600, receive the title information sent accordingto this title information and send this to the recording/reproducingapparatus 100. The processing control section 530 is provided with ane-mail reception processing section 531, a user authentication section534, a user accounting section 537, an inquiry code transmissionprocessing section 540, a response code reception processing section 543and a reply mail transmission processing section 546.

[0146] The e-mail reception processing section 531 receives e-mail sentthrough the communication exchange 400 and if the e-mail inquires aftertitle information, the mail reception processing section 531 acquiresTOC information and sender information included in the e-mail. Then, thee-mail reception processing section 531 passes the TOC informationacquired to the inquiry code transmission processing section 540.Furthermore, the e-mail reception processing section 531 passes thesender information acquired together with the TOC information to theuser authentication section 534.

[0147] The user authentication section 534 authenticates the user whosent the e-mail based on the new sender information delivered from thee-mail reception processing section 531. Then, when the sender isauthenticated to be a legal user, the user authentication section 534stores the sender information delivered together with the TOCinformation in a sender information table 551 which will be describedlater.

[0148] The user accounting section 537 calculates an accounting sumincident to an inquiry about the title information for the legal userauthenticated by the user authentication section 534.

[0149] The inquiry code transmission processing section 540 generates aninquiry code based on the TOC information delivered from the e-mailreception processing section 531. Then, the inquiry code transmissionprocessing section 540 sends the inquiry code generated to the titleinformation DB 600 using HTTP.

[0150] The response code reception processing section 543 receives theresponse code sent from the title information DB 600 using HTTPaccording to the inquiry code sent from the above-described inquiry codetransmission processing section 540. Then, the response code receptionprocessing section 543 records the received response code in a titleinformation table 566 which will be described later.

[0151] The reply mail transmission processing section 546 creates replye-mail based on the response code recorded on the title informationtable 566 and the sender information table 551. Then, the reply mailtransmission processing section 546 sends the reply e-mail created tothe user who is the sender.

[0152] The memory 550 stores a sender information table 551, a userauthentication information table 554, a title information table 566, anaccounting calculation reference table 557, an accounting sum recordingtable 560 and a jacket picture table 569 as tables to be referenced orupdated by the processing control section 530.

[0153] The sender information table 551 is a table to store the senderinformation acquired by the above-described e-mail reception processingsection 531 on the sender who is authenticated by the userauthentication section 534 as a legal user and the TOC information of areproducing CD which is the inquiry target until a reply to the inquiryis completed.

[0154] The user authentication information table 554 is a table toprestore information necessary for user authentication and is referencedby the user authentication section 534.

[0155] The title information table 566 is a kind of cache that storesthe TOC information sent from the recording/reproducing apparatus 100 inassociation with the title information sent back from the titleinformation DB 600 according to this TOC information. The titleinformation table 566 stores the TOC information and title informationuntil the reply of the title information to the recording/reproducingapparatus 100 which is the sender of the TOC information is completed.This title information table 566 is referenced by the reply mailtransmission processing section 546.

[0156] The accounting calculation reference table 557 is a table tostore information necessary to calculate an accounting sum for the user.More specifically, the accounting calculation reference table 557prestores the title information from the title information DB 600 inassociation with the accounting sum about the acquisition of this titleinformation. Furthermore, the accounting calculation reference table 557also prestores a standard accounting sum when title information which isnot prestored is sent. This accounting calculation reference table 557is referenced by the user accounting section 537.

[0157] The accounting sum recording table 560 is a table to store anaccounting sum corresponding to the user calculated by the accountingcalculation reference table 557 accumulated every certain period oftime.

[0158] The jacket picture table 569 is a table to prestore TOCinformation of a typical reproducing CD for which e-mail inquiring aboutthe title information is expected to be sent in association with ajacket picture which is an image representing the appearance of thereproducing CD on sale at stores. This jacket picture table 569 isreferenced by the reply mail transmission processing section 546.

[0159] The title information DB 600 shown in FIG. 1 searches for asource information database that stores title information using the TOCinformation received using HTTP as a search key and acquires the titleinformation corresponding to the search key. Then, it sends the acquiredtitle information to the IP address (Internet Protocol Address) assignedto the computer which sent the TOC information.

[0160] Then, an operation of the system for transferring titleinformation in the above-described configuration will be explained usingFIG. 5 to FIG. 9.

[0161] The user copies music composition data recorded on thereproducing CD to a recording MD and when the user wants to get titleinformation, etc., registered in the U-TOC area of the recording MD, theuser sets the reproducing CD and recording MD in thisrecording/reproducing apparatus 100 and operates a predeterminedinstruction button on the key input section 140.

[0162] In response to this operation, the processing control section 110of the recording/reproducing apparatus 100 starts processes shown in theflow chart of FIG. 5A, accesses the reproducing CD loaded by controllingthe signal processing section 120 first and acquires TOC informationwhich becomes identification information to acquire title informationfrom this reproducing CD (step S1010). Then, the processing controlsection 110 sends the TOC information acquired to the portable phonedevice 200 through the interface 130 (step S1020).

[0163] The portable phone device 200 executes processes shown in theflow chart of FIG. 5B and the processing control section 240 receivesthe TOC information sent from the recording/reproducing apparatus 100via the interface 230 (step S1110). Furthermore, the processing controlsection 240 accesses the memory 280 to acquire the own telephone number(step S1120). The processing control section 240 creates e-mail as shownin FIG. 6 based on the TOC information acquired in steps S1110 and S1120above and the own telephone number and sends it to the title informationproviding server 500 through the communication processing section 210(step S1130).

[0164] The communication exchange 400 receives the e-mail including theTOC information sent in step Si 130 above through the processes shown inFIG. 7A through the wireless public communication network WNET (stepS1210). The communication exchange 400 switches between a publiccommunication network based protocol and a TCP/IP protocol and sends thee-mail received to the title information providing server 500 throughthe Internet INET (step S1220).

[0165] The title information providing server 500 executes processesshown in the flow chart in FIG. 7B and the e-mail reception processingsection 531 in the processing control section 530 receives e-mail sentvia the Internet INET through the communication processing section 510(step S1310). Then, the e-mail reception processing section 531 analyzesthe content of the e-mail received. When the received e-mail has acontent other than an inquiry about the title information, the e-mailreception processing section 531 carries out processing according to thecontent. On the other hand, when the received e-mail includes theabove-described TOC information and has a content requesting a supply oftitle information, the e-mail reception processing section 531 givescontrol to the user authentication section 534 (step S1320).

[0166] As shown in the flow chart in FIG. 8, the user authenticationsection 534 searches the user authentication information table 554 inthe memory 550 using the telephone number of the sender included in thee-mail for which control is given from the e-mail reception processingsection 531 as a key (step S2110). Then, the user authentication section534 decides whether the user corresponding to the telephone number ofthe sender is registered in the user authentication information table554 or not (step S2120). If this decision result shows that the userregistration corresponding to the sender telephone number is found, thesubsequent processes related to the acquisition of the title informationare continued (step S2130). On the other hand, if this decision resultshows that the user registration corresponding to the sender telephonenumber is not found, the subsequent processes related to this sendertelephone number are canceled (step S2140).

[0167] When the subsequent processes related to the acquisition of thetitle information are decided to continue as a result of the process bythe user authentication section 534, the e-mail reception processingsection 531 selects one of IP addresses currently not in use of thistitle information providing server 500 and stores it together with theTOC information included in the e-mail received and the telephone numberof the sender in the sender information table 551 in the memory 550(FIG. 7B): step S1330). The inquiry code transmission processing section540 reads TOC information stored in the sender information table 551,creates an inquiry code corresponding to this TOC information and sendsthis inquiry code from the port to which the selected IP address isassigned to the title information DB 600 using HTTP over the InternetINET (step S1340).

[0168] The title information DB 600 receives the inquiry code sent overthe Internet INET as shown in the flow chart in FIG. 7C (step S1410).The title information DB 600 searches the database that stores titleinformation using the TOC information included in the inquiry codereceived as a key and acquires the title information corresponding tothe TOC information (step S1420). Then, the title information DB 600sends the response code including the title information acquired to theIP address of the requester using HTTP over the Internet INET (stepS1430).

[0169] As shown in FIG. 7B, in the title information providing server500, the response code reception processing section 543 receives titleinformation in a response code format sent from the title information DB600 through the communication processing section 510 and temporarilystores the received title information in the title information table 566in the memory 550 (step S1350). Then, the response code receptionprocessing section 543 searches the telephone number of the sender fromthe sender information table 551 in the memory 550 using the IP addressassigned to the port that receives the title information as a key (stepS1360). The response code reception processing section 543 notifies theuser accounting section 537 of the searched telephone number of thesender (step S1370).

[0170] As shown in the flow chart in FIG. 9, the user accounting section537 searches the accounting sum recording table 560 in the memory 550using the telephone number of the sender as a key (step S2210) andacquires the accounting sum of the user (user who requests the titleinformation) identified by the telephone number of the sender, that is,the portable phone device 200 from the accounting sum recording table560 (step S2220).

[0171] Then, the user accounting section 537 searches the accountingcalculation reference table 557 in the memory 550 using the titleinformation as a key (step S2230) and divides the processing dependingon whether the accounting sum corresponding to the title information isfound in the accounting calculation reference table 557 or not (stepS2240).

[0172] When the accounting sum corresponding to the title information isfound in the accounting calculation reference table 557, the useraccounting section 537 acquires the accounting sum corresponding to thesearched title information (step S2250) and adds this accounting sum tothe accounting sum of the sender user already acquired in step S2220(step S2260). On the other hand, when the accounting sum correspondingto the title information is not found in the accounting calculationreference table 557, the user accounting section 537 acquires apredetermined standard accounting sum from the accounting calculationreference table 557 and adds it to the accounting sum of the sender user(step S2270).

[0173] In both cases, the user accounting section 537 records theaccounting sum of the sender user after the addition in the accountingsum recording table 560 (step S2290).

[0174] After the completion of or in synchronization with the process bythe user accounting section 537, the reply mail transmission processingsection 546 reads the title information temporarily stored in the titleinformation table 566, references the jacket picture table 569 in thememory 550 and acquires the jacket picture corresponding to the titleinformation read (step S1380). Then, the reply mail transmissionprocessing section 546 creates e-mail containing the title informationand jacket picture directed to the user who is specified through thesearch of the sender information table 551 and sends this e-mail (stepS1390).

[0175] The communication exchange 400 receives the e-mail sent from thetitle information providing server 500 via the Internet INET (stepS1230), switches between the TCP/IP protocol and the publiccommunication based protocol and sends the received e-mail to theportable phone device 200 of the sender through the wireless publiccommunication network WNET (step S1240).

[0176] As shown in the flow chart in FIG. 5B, in the portable phonedevice 200, the processing control section 240 receives the e-mail sentfrom the communication exchange 400 via the communication processingsection 210 (step S1150). Then, the processing control section 240 sendsthe title information included in the e-mail received to therecording/reproducing apparatus 100 via the interface 230 and cable CA(step S1160). On the other hand, the processing control section 240records the jacket picture included in the e-mail received in the jacketpicture table in the memory 280 and controls the display section 250 todisplay the image according to the jacket picture (step S1170).

[0177] As shown in the flow chart in FIG. 5A, in therecording/reproducing apparatus 100, the processing control section 110receives the title information sent from the portable phone device 200via the interface 130 (step S1030). Then, the processing control section110 controls the reproducing/recording section 170 and DAC 180 toregister the title information received in the U-TOC area of therecording MD loaded (step S1040).

[0178] With the above-described configuration and operation, it ispossible to simply acquire the title information from the titleinformation DB 600 by combining the recording/reproducing apparatus 100and portable phone device 200 without using a personal computer, etc.Moreover, the title information acquired can be recorded automaticallytogether with the music composition data on the recording MD loaded.

[0179] When the title information is acquired, the existing portablephone device 200 can be used and it is a wireless communication device,and therefore it is possible to increase the degree of freedom about theplace where the recording/reproducing apparatus 100 is installed.Furthermore, even if the recording/reproducing apparatus 100 and thetitle information DB 600 have different communication systems,communication systems are converted by the portable phone device 200,communication exchange 400 and title information providing server 500,and therefore it is possible to acquire the title information from thetitle information DB 600.

[0180] Moreover, it is possible to acquire the title information as wellas a specific jacket picture corresponding to this title information anddisplay this jacket picture on the display section 250 of the portablephone device 200. Furthermore, it is possible to calculate and recordthe value corresponding to the supply of the title information accordingto the music composition data in the reproducing CD.

[0181] (Second Embodiment)

[0182] In the system for transferring title information according to thefirst embodiment, the recording/reproducing apparatus 100 that recordsdata on a recording MD and the portable phone device 200 that performshigh frequency wireless communications are used, connected quite closeto each other. However, if strong high frequency wireless waves causedby magnetism are transmitted at close range during recording, it isconceivable that noise or a noise signal could be mixed into the databeing recorded due to the magnetism. Hereunder, an example of a systemfor transferring title information taking this into consideration willbe explained.

[0183] First, a system for transferring title information which givespriority to recording data on a recording medium loaded in arecording/reproducing apparatus 100 will be explained.

[0184] The system for transferring title information according to thisembodiment is provided with a recording/reproducing apparatus 100, aportable phone device 200, a communication exchange 400, a titleinformation providing server 500 and a title information DB 600, and therest of the configuration is also the same as that of theabove-described first embodiment.

[0185] Operations of the communication exchange 400, title informationproviding server 500 and title information DB 600 out of the componentsof the system for transferring title information are the same as thoseof the first embodiment.

[0186] Thus, the operations of the recording/reproducing apparatus 100and portable phone device 200 will be explained mainly using FIG. 10.

[0187] Prior to the recording to a recording MD, a processing controlsection 110 of the recording/reproducing apparatus 100 sends recordingstart information to the portable phone device 200 through the interface130 (step S1510). A processing control section 240 of the portable phonedevice 200 receives the recording start information from therecording/reproducing apparatus 100 through the interface 230 (stepS1610) and suppresses communications with the outside immediately afterthe reception (step S1620).

[0188] More specifically, upon reception of the recording startinformation, a power supply control section 241 of the portable phonedevice 200 completely shuts off a power supply from a power supplysection 220 and thereby totally suppresses the own functions. Or uponreception of the recording start information, the power supply controlsection 241 of the portable phone device 200 sets power supply flaginformation in a memory 280 to “suppress transmission/reception” to shutoff a power supply to a communication processing section 210 and therebysuppresses communications while processing not involving communicationsremains executable.

[0189] After sending the above-described recording start information,the processing control section 110 of the recording/reproducingapparatus 100 reproduces music composition data from a reproducing CDsuch as a CD sequentially and records the reproduced music compositiondata on a recording MD (step S1520). Since the portable phone device 200suppresses a communication with the outside during this recording, thereis no possibility that noise from high frequency radio waves of theportable phone device 200 will mix into the music composition datarecorded on the recording MD.

[0190] After a while when the recording of the reproduced musiccomposition data on the recording MD is completed, the processingcontrol section 110 of the recording/reproducing apparatus 100 sendsrecording end information to the portable phone device 200 through aninterface 130 (step S1530). The processing control section 240 of theportable phone device 200 receives the recording end information fromthe recording/reproducing apparatus 100 through the interface 230 (stepS1630) and cancels the suppression of communications with the outsideimmediately after the reception (step S1640).

[0191] More specifically, upon reception of the recording endinformation, the power supply control section 241 of the portable phonedevice 200 resumes the supply of the power from the power supply section220 to all components and thereby totally recovers the own functions.

[0192] After step S1640, the recording/reproducing apparatus 100 and theportable phone device 200 proceed with the same processing as that shownabove in FIG. 5. That is, the recording/reproducing apparatus 100accesses the reproducing CD loaded such as a CD and acquiresidentification information such as TOC information from this reproducingCD (step S1540). Then, the recording/reproducing apparatus 100 sends theTOC information acquired to the portable phone device 200 (step S1550).

[0193] The portable phone device 200 receives the TOC information sentfrom the recording/reproducing apparatus 100 (step S1650). Furthermore,the portable phone device 200 acquires the own telephone number (stepS1655). Then, the portable phone device 200 sends the TOC informationand telephone number to the title information providing server 500 via awireless public communication network WNET (step S1660).

[0194] After a while, the portable phone device 200 receives titleinformation and a jacket picture from the title information providingserver 500 (step S1670). Then, the portable phone device 200 sends thetitle information of the two to the recording/reproducing apparatus 100(step S1680). On the other hand, the portable phone device 200 recordsand displays the jacket picture (step S1690).

[0195] The recording/reproducing apparatus 100 receives the titleinformation sent from the portable phone device 200 (step S1560). Then,the recording/reproducing apparatus 100 records the received titleinformation on the recording MD loaded (step S1570).

[0196] With the above-described configuration and operation, it ispossible to prevent noise from mixing into the recording caused bymagnetism entailed in a wireless communication through the portablephone device 200 in addition to the effect of the aforementioned firstembodiment.

[0197] (Third Embodiment)

[0198] Then, a system for transferring title information that givespriority to a wireless communication through the portable phone device200 will be explained.

[0199] The system for transferring title information according to thisembodiment is provided with a recording/reproducing apparatus 100, aportable phone device 200, a communication exchange 400, a titleinformation providing server 500 and a title information DB 600, and therest of the configuration is also the same as that of the firstembodiment and the second embodiment.

[0200] Operations of the communication exchange 400, title informationproviding server 500 and title information DB 600 out of the componentsof the system for transferring title information are the same as thoseof the first embodiment.

[0201] Thus, the operations of the recording/reproducing apparatus 100and portable phone device 200 will be explained mainly using FIG. 11 andFIG. 12.

[0202] The recording/reproducing apparatus 100 accesses a reproducing CDloaded such as a CD and acquires TOC information from this reproducingCD (step S1710). Then, the recording/reproducing apparatus 100 sends theTOC information acquired to the portable phone device 200 (step S1720).

[0203] The portable phone device 200 receives the TOC information sentfrom the recording/reproducing apparatus 100 (step S1810). Furthermore,the portable phone device 200 acquires the own telephone number (stepS1815). Then, the portable phone device 200 sends the TOC informationand telephone number to the title information providing server 500 via awireless public communication network WNET (step S1820).

[0204] After a while, the portable phone device 200 receives titleinformation and a jacket picture from the title information providingserver 500 (step S1825). Then, the portable phone device 200 sends thetitle information of the two to the recording/reproducing apparatus 100(step S1830). On the other hand, the portable phone device 200 recordsand displays the jacket picture (step S1835).

[0205] The recording/reproducing apparatus 100 receives the titleinformation sent from the portable phone device 200 (step S1730). Then,the recording/reproducing apparatus 100 records the received titleinformation on a recording MD loaded (step S1740).

[0206] After the acquisition of the title information is completedthrough the processes so far, the recording/reproducing apparatus 100executes a process of recording music composition data which may beinterrupted by an incoming call to the portable phone device 200 (stepS1750). On the contrary, the portable phone device 200 monitors incomingcalls from the outside and executes a process of stopping the recordingprocess by the recording/reproducing apparatus 100 (steps S1840 toS1860).

[0207] That is, a processing control section 240 of the portable phonedevice 200 continues a process of temporarily stopping the recording bythe recording/reproducing apparatus 100 when there is an incoming callfrom the outside until recording end information is received from therecording/reproducing apparatus 100 via an interface 230 (step S1840).Then, when there is an incoming call from the outside (step S1845: Yes),the processing control section 240 sends incoming call notificationinformation to the recording/reproducing apparatus 100 via the interface230 (step S1850).

[0208] A processing control section 110 of the recording/reproducingapparatus 100 records music composition data reproduced from thereproducing CD loaded on a recording MD (step S2010), as shown in FIG.12. Then, until the recording of all music composition data is completed(step S2020), the processing control section 110 continues to monitorthe incoming call notification information or communication endinformation sent from the portable phone device 200 via an interface130.

[0209] Upon reception of the incoming call notification information fromthe portable phone device 200 via the interface 130 (step S2030: Yes),the processing control section 110 temporarily suppresses the recordingof the music composition data on the recording MD (step S2040). Then,the processing control section 110 continues to monitor the reception ofthe communication end information from the portable phone device 200(step S2050).

[0210] The processing control section 240 of the portable phone device200 continues to monitor whether the communication with the outsidecorresponding to the incoming call detected in step S1845 is completedor not (step S1855). Then, when the communication with the outside iscompleted, the processing control section 240 sends communication endinformation to the recording/reproducing apparatus 100 via the interface230 (step S1860).

[0211] When the communication end information is received from theportable phone device 200 via the interface 130 (step S2050: Yes), theprocessing control section 110 of the recording/reproducing apparatus100 resumes the recording of the music composition data on the recordingMD (step S2060).

[0212] After the above-described processing is continued and the processof recording the music composition data in step S1750 is completed, theprocessing control section 110 of the recording/reproducing apparatus100 sends the recording end information to the portable phone device 200(step S1760). Upon reception of the recording end information from therecording/reproducing apparatus 100 (step S1840: Yes), the processingcontrol section 240 of the portable phone device 200 ends the process oftemporarily stopping the recording by the recording/reproducingapparatus 100 if there is any incoming call from the outside.

[0213] In addition to the effects of the aforementioned first and secondembodiments, this embodiment with the above-described configuration andoperation ensures that an incoming call from the outside is received.

[0214] (Fourth Embodiment)

[0215] All the above-described three types of system for transferringtitle information connect the portable phone device 200 to therecording/reproducing apparatus 100 via a signal cable CA and connectthe recording/reproducing apparatus 100 and the communication exchange400 via this portable phone device 200 and the wireless publiccommunication network WNET. However, the connection mode for connectingthe recording/reproducing apparatus 100 to the communication exchange400 is not limited to this alone. Hereunder, a system for transferringtitle information with a different connection mode will be explained.

[0216] First, a system for transferring title information in which allcomponents from the recording/reproducing apparatus 100 to thecommunication exchange 400 are connected via cables will be explained.

[0217] As shown in FIG. 13, the system for transferring titleinformation according to this embodiment is provided with arecording/reproducing apparatus 100, a wired phone device 200 a, acommunication exchange 400, a title information providing server 500 anda title information DB 600. Then, the wired phone device 200 a and thecommunication exchange 400 are connected via a wired publiccommunication network LNET. Furthermore, the communication exchange 400,title information providing server 500 and title information DB 600 areconnected via the Internet INET. Furthermore, the recording/reproducingapparatus 100 and wired phone device 200 a are connected via a signalcable CA.

[0218] The wired phone device 200 a is constructed of a widespread wiredsubscriber telephone, etc., and its internal configuration is the sameas that of the above-described embodiment except that a communicationprocessing section 210 a corresponding to the wired public communicationnetwork LNET is provided instead of the communication processing section210 corresponding to the wireless public communication network, as shownin FIG. 14.

[0219] Therefore, the operation of the system for transferring titleinformation of this embodiment is the same as that of theabove-described embodiment.

[0220] With the above-described configuration and operation, titleinformation can be easily acquired from the title information DB 600 bycombining the recording/reproducing apparatus 100 and wired phone device200 a without using a personal computer, etc. Further, the titleinformation acquired can be automatically recorded together with musiccomposition data on a recording MD loaded.

[0221] Furthermore, the existing wired phone device 200 a can be used toacquire the title information. Moreover, even if therecording/reproducing apparatus 100 and title information DB 600 havedifferent communication systems, communication systems are converted bythe wired phone device 200 a, communication exchange 400 and titleinformation providing server 500, and therefore it is possible toacquire the title information from the title information DB 600.

[0222] It is further possible to acquire not only the title informationbut also a specific jacket picture corresponding to this titleinformation and display this jacket picture on the display section 250of the wired phone device 200 a. Furthermore, it is possible tocalculate and record the value corresponding to the supply of the titleinformation according to the music composition data in the reproducingCD.

[0223] (Fifth Embodiment)

[0224] Next, a system for transferring title information whichcorresponds to the system for transferring title information of theabove-described fourth embodiment with the mode of connection betweenthe recording/reproducing apparatus 100 and wired phone device 200 achanged to a wireless connection mode will be explained.

[0225] As shown in FIG. 15, the system for transferring titleinformation according to this embodiment is provided with arecording/reproducing apparatus 100 a, a wired phone device 200 b, acommunication exchange 400, a title information providing server 500 anda title information DB 600. Then, the wired phone device 200 b and thecommunication exchange 400 are connected via a wired publiccommunication network LNET. Furthermore, the communication exchange 400,title information providing server 500 and title information DB 600 areconnected via the Internet INET. Furthermore, the recording/reproducingapparatus 100 a and wired phone device 200 b are connected via awireless interface such as Bluetooth, IrDA (Infrared Data Association),IEEE 802.11 (Institute of Electronic and Electronics Engineers 802.11)and HomeRF (Home Radio Frequency).

[0226] As shown in FIG. 16, the recording/reproducing apparatus 100 a isthe same as that of the above-described embodiments except that awireless interface 130 a is provided instead of the interface 130applicable to a signal cable CA.

[0227] As shown in FIG. 17, the wired phone device 200 b is the same asthat of the above-described fourth embodiment except that a wirelessinterface 230 a is provided instead of the interface 230 applicable to asignal cable CA.

[0228] Therefore, the operation of the system for transferring titleinformation according to this embodiment is the same as that of theabove-described embodiments.

[0229] With the above-described configuration and operation, titleinformation can be easily acquired from the title information DB 600 bycombining the recording/reproducing apparatus 100 and wired phone device200 b without using a personal computer, etc. On top of it, the titleinformation acquired can be automatically recorded together with musiccomposition data on a recording MD loaded.

[0230] Furthermore, the existing wired phone device 200 b can be used toacquire title information. Furthermore, since the recording/reproducingapparatus 100 a and wired phone device 200 b are connected via awireless interface, the degree of freedom with respect to the placewhere the recording/reproducing apparatus 100 a is installed can beincreased. Moreover, even if the recording/reproducing apparatus 100 aand title information DB 600 have different communication systems,communication systems are converted by the wired phone device 200 b,communication exchange 400 and title information providing server 500,and therefore it is possible to acquire the title information from thetitle information DB 600.

[0231] Furthermore, it is further possible to acquire not only the titleinformation but also a specific jacket picture corresponding to thistitle information and display this jacket picture on the display section250 of the wired phone device 200 b. Furthermore, it is possible tocalculate and record the value corresponding to the supply of the titleinformation according to the music composition data in the reproducingCD.

[0232] (Sixth Embodiment)

[0233] All the above-described five types of system for transferringtitle information have adopted a configuration using an existingcommunication apparatus such as a portable phone device and wired phonedevice between a recording/reproducing apparatus and a publiccommunication network. However, it is also possible to adopt aconfiguration directly connecting a recording/reproducing apparatusprovided with functions of a communication apparatus to a publiccommunication network without any existing communication apparatus. Asystem for transferring title information using a recording/reproducingapparatus provided with functions of a communication apparatus will beexplained below.

[0234] As shown in FIG. 18, the system for transferring titleinformation according to this embodiment is provided with arecording/reproducing apparatus 100 b provided with functions of acommunication apparatus, a communication exchange 400, a titleinformation providing server 500 and a title information DB 600. Then,the recording/reproducing apparatus 100 b and the communication exchange400 are connected via a wired public communication network LNET.Furthermore, the communication exchange 400, title information providingserver 500 and title information DB 600 are connected via the InternetINET.

[0235] The operation of the system for transferring title informationaccording to this embodiment is also the same as that of theabove-described embodiment.

[0236] With the above-described configuration and operation, titleinformation can be easily acquired from the title information DB 600 bythe recording/reproducing apparatus 100 b provided with functions of acommunication apparatus without using a personal computer, etc. On topof it, the title information acquired can be automatically recordedtogether with music composition data on a recording MD loaded.

[0237] Moreover, even if the recording/reproducing apparatus 100 b andtitle information DB 600 have different communication systems,communication systems can be converted by the communication exchange 400and title information providing server 500, and therefore it is possibleto acquire the title information from the title information DB 600.

[0238] Furthermore, it is possible to calculate and record the valuecorresponding to the supply of the title information according to themusic composition data in the reproducing CD.

[0239] (Seventh Embodiment)

[0240] All the above-described six types of system for transferringtitle information have described the case where title information, etc.,is acquired from the title information DB 600 when recording musiccomposition data from a reproducing CD on a recording MD. However, it ispossible to acquire title information, etc., during not only recordingbut also reproduction. Hereunder, a system for transferring titleinformation that acquires title information, etc., during reproductionwill be explained.

[0241] As shown in FIG. 19, the system for transferring titleinformation according to this embodiment is provided with a reproducingapparatus 300, a portable phone device 200, a communication exchange400, a title information providing server 500 and a title information DB600.

[0242] The portable phone device 200, the communication exchange 400,the title information providing server 500 and the title information DB600 have the same configuration as that of the first to thirdembodiments shown in FIG. 1.

[0243] The reproducing apparatus 300 is a device to reproduce musiccomposition data from a reproducing CD (music CD, etc.) loaded andconnected to a wireless phone device 200 through a signal cable CA. Asshown in FIG. 20, this reproducing apparatus 300 is constructed of aprocessing control section 301, a signal processing section 302, areproduction section 303, a DAC 304, an interface 305, a key inputsection 306, a display section 307, a memory 308, a flash memory 309 andan image output section 310.

[0244] The processing control section 301 is constructed of a one-chipmicrocomputer, etc., including a CPU and peripheral LSI and controls theentire reproducing apparatus 300.

[0245] More specifically, the processing control section 301 controlsthe signal processing section 302, etc., to reproduce a reproducing CDand outputs music composition data obtained to a speaker, etc., throughthe DAC 304. Furthermore, the processing control section 301 alsocontrols the signal processing section 302, etc., to read TOCinformation from the reproducing CD and sends this TOC information tothe portable phone device 200 through the interface 305, etc.

[0246] Furthermore, upon reception of title information and a jacketpicture from the portable phone device 200, the processing controlsection 301 stores them in association with the TOC information in theflash memory 309. Then, when reproducing the reproducing CD, theprocessing control section 301 reads the corresponding title informationand jacket picture from the flash memory 309 and displays them on thedisplay section 307 in synchronization with the reproduction of themusic composition data.

[0247] The signal processing section 302 consists of a DSP, etc.,controls the reproducing section 303 to reproduce the reproducing CD.That is, the signal processing section 302 reads the music compositiondata from the reproducing CD through the reproduction section 303,applies decoding processing, etc., to this music composition data andthen supplies the music composition data to the DAC 304. Furthermore,the signal processing section 302 reads the TOC information from thereproducing CD and supplies it to the processing control section 301.

[0248] The reproducing section 303 is provided with an optical head,etc., and reads the music composition data and TOC information, etc.,from the reproducing CD loaded in this reproducing apparatus 100.

[0249] The DAC 304 converts digital music composition data supplied fromthe signal processing section 302 to an analog music composition signaland outputs the converted music composition signal to an amplifier andspeaker, etc.

[0250] The interface 305 transmits/receives data to/from the portablephone device 200 through the communication cable CA.

[0251] The key input section 306 consists of button switches, etc.,enters instruction information, etc., according to the operation by theuser and supplies the information entered to the processing controlsection 301.

[0252] The display section 307 consists of an LCD panel, etc., iscontrolled by the processing control section 301 and displays charactersand figures, etc. For example, the display section 307 displays a title(music name, etc.) of the music composition data being reproduced and atthe same time displays a jacket picture, etc., of the reproducing CD.

[0253] The memory 308 consists of a RAM, etc., and is used as a workarea, etc., for the processing control section 301. That is, the memory308 stores various kinds of information required when the processingcontrol section 301 executes various kinds of processing.

[0254] The flash memory 309 is a non-volatile memory having apredetermined capacity and stores title information and jacket picture,etc., sent from the portable phone device 200 in association with TOCinformation.

[0255] The image output section 310 creates an image signal (picturesignal) that can be displayed on an external display device (e.g.,television set). More specifically, the image output section 310converts the jacket picture, etc., read from the flash memory 309 by theprocessing control section 301 to an image signal and outputs to theexternal display device.

[0256] Then, an operation of the system for transferring titleinformation including the reproducing apparatus 300 in theabove-described configuration will be explained. The operations of thecommunication exchange 400, title information providing server 500 andtitle information DB 600 out of the components of the system fortransferring title information are the same as those of theabove-described first to third embodiments.

[0257] Thus, the operations of the reproducing apparatus 300 andportable phone device 200 will be explained with reference to FIG. 21.

[0258] Suppose that when a jacket picture is acquired from the titleinformation providing server 500, the memory 280 of the portable phonedevice 200 stores transfer presence/absence information for specifyingwhether this jacket picture should be transferred to the reproducingapparatus 300 or not. The content (whether a transfer is required ornot) of this transfer presence/absence information can be arbitrarilyset by the user.

[0259] First, when the reproducing CD is loaded, the reproducingapparatus 300 acquires TOC information from this reproducing CD (stepS10). Then, the reproducing apparatus 300 sends the TOC informationacquired to the portable phone device 200 (step S11).

[0260] Upon reception of the TOC information sent from the reproducingapparatus 300 (step S20), the portable phone device 200 acquires the owntelephone number from the memory 280 (step S21). Then, the portablephone device 200 sends these TOC information and telephone number to thetitle information providing server 500 over the wireless publiccommunication network WNET (step S22).

[0261] After a while, the portable phone device 200 receives titleinformation and a jacket picture from the title information providingserver 500 (step S23). Then, the portable phone device 200 sends thetitle information of the two to the reproducing apparatus 300 (stepS24).

[0262] On the other hand, the reproducing apparatus 300 receives thetitle information sent from the portable phone device 200 and stores itin the flash memory 309. In this case, the reproducing apparatus 300stores the title information in association with the TOC information.

[0263] The portable phone device 200 decides whether the jacket pictureshould be transferred to the reproducing apparatus 300 or not (stepS25). That is, the portable phone device 200 decides whether the jacketpicture should be transferred or not according to the transferpresence/absence information stored in the memory 280.

[0264] Even if the transfer presence/absence information indicates thatno transfer is required, if the portable phone device 200 does not haveremaining space enough to record the jacket picture, the portable phonedevice 200 decides that a transfer to the reproducing apparatus 300 isnecessary. That is, in the case of a jacket picture having an amount ofdata exceeding the capacity (remaining capacity) of the memory 280 ofthe portable phone device 200, the portable phone device 200 decidesthat a transfer of the jacket picture is necessary so that thereproducing apparatus 300 stores the jacket picture.

[0265] When the portable phone device 200 decides that a transfer isnecessary (step S25: Yes), the portable phone device 200 sends thereceived jacket picture to the reproducing apparatus 300 (step S26).Furthermore, when the portable phone device 200 decides that the jacketpicture need not be transferred (step S25: No), the portable phonedevice 200 stores the received jacket picture in the memory 280 (stepS27). In this case, the portable phone device 200 stores the jacketpicture in association with the TOC information.

[0266] On the other hand, the reproducing apparatus 300 decides whetherthe jacket picture is sent from the portable phone device 200 or not(step S13). When the reproducing apparatus 300 decides that the jacketpicture is sent from the portable phone device 200 (step S13: Yes), thereproducing apparatus 300 receives the jacket picture sent and stores itin the flash memory 309. In this case, the reproducing apparatus 300stores the jacket picture in association with the TOC information.

[0267] The reproducing apparatus 300 waits for a reproductioninstruction for a reproducing CD through the key input section 306 (stepS15) and when the user instructs reproduction, the reproducing apparatus300 decides whether the jacket picture has already been stored in theflash memory 309 or not (step S16).

[0268] When the reproducing apparatus 300 decides that the jacketpicture has not been stored yet (step S16: No), the reproducingapparatus 300 sends reproduction start information indicating the startof reproduction to the portable phone device 200 (step S17). In thiscase, the reproducing apparatus 300 sends the TOC information togetherwith the reproduction start information to the portable phone device200.

[0269] On the other hand, the portable phone device 200 receives thereproduction start information together with the TOC information fromthe reproducing apparatus 300 (step S28), reads the jacket picturecorresponding to this TOC information from the memory 280 and displaysit on the own display section 250 (step S29).

[0270] When the reproducing apparatus 300 decides that the jacketpicture has already been stored in the flash memory 309 (step S16: Yes),the reproducing apparatus 300 reads the jacket picture from the flashmemory 309 and displays the jacket picture on the own display section307 (step S18). In this case, the reproducing apparatus 300 can alsodisplay the jacket picture on an external display device through theimage output section 310.

[0271] Then, the reproducing apparatus 300 reproduces music compositiondata from the reproducing CD (step S19). In this case, the reproducingapparatus 300 reads the title information from the flash memory 309 anddisplays the title, etc., of the music composition data being reproducedon the display section 307. When the jacket picture is displayed on thedisplay section 307 in step S18, the reproducing apparatus 300 displaysthe title, etc., of the music composition data on the display section307 in such a way that it does not overlap with the jacket picture.

[0272] With the above-described configuration and operation, it is alsopossible to acquire title information from the title information DB 600during reproduction. Moreover, it is also possible to store the jacketpicture acquired together with the title information in the reproducingapparatus 300, etc., and display them in synchronization with thereproduction.

[0273] In the above-described processing in FIG. 21, the jacket pictureis sent from the portable phone device 200 to only the reproducingapparatus 300, but on the contrary, it is also possible to send thejacket picture from the reproducing apparatus 300 to the portable phonedevice 200.

[0274] For example, when the reproducing apparatus 300 decides in stepS16 in FIG. 21 that the jacket picture is stored in the own flash memory309, the reproducing apparatus 300 sends the jacket picture to theportable phone device 200 instead of displaying the jacket picture onthe own display section 307. In this case, the reproducing apparatus 300sends the TOC information together with the jacket picture to theportable phone device 200.

[0275] Then, the portable phone device 200 stores the received jacketpicture in association with the TOC information in the memory 280.

[0276] Furthermore, the reproducing apparatus 300 sends reproductionstart information to the portable phone device 200 and displays thejacket picture on the display section 250 of the portable phone device200 in synchronization with the reproduction.

[0277] (Eighth Embodiment)

[0278] All the above-described seven types of system for transferringtitle information have described the case where title information, etc.,is acquired from the title information DB 600 when recording musiccomposition data from a reproducing CD on a recording MD. However, it ispossible to acquire title information, etc., during not only recordingbut also reproduction. Hereunder, a system for transferring titleinformation that acquires title information, etc., during reproductionwill be explained.

[0279] The system for transferring title information according to thisembodiment has the same configuration as the seventh embodiment shown inFIG. 19.

[0280] Then, suppose that when a jacket picture is acquired from a titleinformation providing server 500, a memory 280 of a portable phonedevice 200 stores transfer presence/absence information for specifyingwhether this jacket picture should be transferred to arecording/reproducing apparatus 100 c or not.

[0281] The operations of the recording/reproducing apparatus 100 c andportable phone device 200 will be explained with reference to FIG. 22below.

[0282] First, when a reproducing CD is loaded, the recording/reproducingapparatus 100 c acquires TOC information from this reproducing CD (stepS31).

[0283] The recording/reproducing apparatus 100 c searches a flash memory185 using the acquired TOC information as a key to decide whether thetitle information, etc., has already been stored in the flash memory 185or not (step S32).

[0284] When the recording/reproducing apparatus 100 c decides that thetitle information, etc., is already stored in the flash memory 185 (stepS32: Yes), it moves the process to step S37 which will be describedlater. On the other hand, when the recording/reproducing apparatus 100 cdecides that the title information, etc., is not stored yet in the flashmemory 185 (step S32: No), the recording/reproducing apparatus 100 csends the acquired TOC information to the portable phone device 200(step S33).

[0285] Upon reception of the TOC information sent from therecording/reproducing apparatus 100 c (step S51), the portable phonedevice 200 acquires the own telephone number from the memory 280 (stepS52). Then, the portable phone device 200 sends these TOC informationand telephone number to the title information providing server 500 overa wireless public communication network WNET (step S53).

[0286] After a while, the portable phone device 200 receives the titleinformation and jacket picture from the title information providingserver 500 (step S54). Then, the portable phone device 200 sends thetitle information among them to the recording/reproducing apparatus 100c (step S55).

[0287] On the other hand, the recording/reproducing apparatus 100 creceives the title information sent from the portable phone device 200and stores it in the flash memory 185 (step S34). In this case, therecording/reproducing apparatus 100 c stores the title information inassociation with the TOC information.

[0288] The portable phone device 200 decides whether the jacket pictureshould be transferred to the recording/reproducing apparatus 100 c ornot (step S56). Even if the transfer presence/absence informationindicates that no transfer is required, if the portable phone device 200does not have remaining space enough to record the jacket picture, theportable phone device 200 decides that a transfer to therecording/reproducing apparatus 100 c is required.

[0289] When the portable phone device 200 decides that a transfer isnecessary (step S56: Yes), the portable phone device 200 sends thereceived jacket picture to the recording/reproducing apparatus 100 c(step S57). On the other hand, when the portable phone device 200decides that the jacket picture need not be transferred (step S56: No),the portable phone device 200 stores the received jacket picture in thememory 280 (step S58). In this case, the portable phone device 200stores the jacket picture in association with the TOC information.

[0290] On the other hand, the recording/reproducing apparatus 100 cdecides whether the jacket picture been sent from the portable phonedevice 200 or not (step S35). When the recording/reproducing apparatus100 c decides that the jacket picture has been sent (step S35: Yes), therecording/reproducing apparatus 100 c receives the jacket picture sentand stores it in the flash memory 185. In this case, therecording/reproducing apparatus 100 c stores the jacket picture inassociation with the TOC information.

[0291] The recording/reproducing apparatus 100 c waits for areproduction instruction for a reproducing CD through the key inputsection 140 (step S37) and if the user instructs reproduction, therecording/reproducing apparatus 100 c decides whether the jacket picturehas already been stored in the flash memory 185 or not (step S38).

[0292] When the recording/reproducing apparatus 100 c decides that thejacket picture has not been stored yet (step S38: No), therecording/reproducing apparatus 100 c sends reproduction startinformation indicating the start of reproduction to the portable phonedevice 200 (step S39). In this case, the recording/reproducing apparatus100 c sends the TOC information together with the reproduction startinformation to the portable phone device 200.

[0293] On the other hand, the portable phone device 200 receives thereproduction start information together with the TOC information fromthe recording/reproducing apparatus 100 c (step S59), reads the jacketpicture corresponding to this TOC information from the memory 280 anddisplays it on the own display section 250 (step S60).

[0294] When the recording/reproducing apparatus 100 c decides that thejacket picture has already been stored in the flash memory 185 (stepS38: Yes), the recording/reproducing apparatus 100 c reads the jacketpicture from the flash memory 185 and displays the jacket picture on theown display section 150 (step S40). In this case, therecording/reproducing apparatus 100 c can also display the jacketpicture on an external display device through the image output section195.

[0295] Then, the recording/reproducing apparatus 100 c reproduces musiccomposition data from the reproducing CD (step S41). In this case, therecording/reproducing apparatus 100 c reads the title information fromthe flash memory 185 and displays the title, etc., of the musiccomposition data being reproduced on the display section 150. When thejacket picture is displayed on the display section 150 in step S40, therecording/reproducing apparatus 100 c displays the title, etc., of themusic composition data on the display section 150 in such a way that itdoes not overlap with the jacket picture.

[0296] With the above-described configuration and operation, it is alsopossible to acquire title information from the title information DB 600during reproduction. Moreover, it is also possible to store the jacketpicture acquired together with the title information in therecording/reproducing apparatus 100 c, etc., and display them insynchronization with the reproduction.

[0297] In the above-described processing in FIG. 22, the jacket pictureis sent from the portable phone device 200 to only therecording/reproducing apparatus 100 c. On the contrary, it is alsopossible to send the jacket picture from the recording/reproducingapparatus 100 c to the portable phone device 200.

[0298] For example, when the recording/reproducing apparatus 100 cdecides in step S38 in FIG. 22 that the jacket picture has been storedin the own flash memory 185, the recording/reproducing apparatus 100 csends the jacket picture to the portable phone device 200 instead ofdisplaying the jacket picture on the own display section 150. In thiscase, the recording/reproducing apparatus 100 c sends the TOCinformation together with the jacket picture to the portable phonedevice 200.

[0299] Then, the portable phone device 200 stores the received jacketpicture in association with the TOC information in the memory 280.

[0300] Furthermore, the recording/reproducing apparatus 100 c sendsreproduction start information to the portable phone device 200 anddisplays the jacket picture on the display section 250 of the portablephone device 200 in synchronization with the reproduction.

[0301] The present invention is not limited to the above-describedembodiment, but can be modified or applied in a variety of ways.

[0302] The above-described embodiment has described the case where notitle information, etc., is recorded on the reproducing CD, but thepresent invention is also applicable to a case where a reproducing CDthat prestores title information, etc., is reproduced and musiccomposition data is recorded on a recording CD as appropriate.

[0303] For example, the recording/reproducing apparatus 100 c decideswhether the title information, etc., is recorded on the reproducing CDloaded or not. Then, when it is decided that the title information,etc., is recorded, the recording/reproducing apparatus 100 c suppressesthe transmission of the TOC information to the portable phone device200, reads the title information, etc., from the reproducing CD andrecords it in the recording CD, etc.

[0304] If only the title information is recorded and no jacket pictureis recorded on the reproducing CD, the recording/reproducing apparatus100 c can also be adapted so as to send the TOC information to theportable phone device 200 as in the case of the above-describedembodiment and receive the jacket picture from the title informationproviding server 500.

[0305] (Ninth Embodiment)

[0306] In system for transferring title information according to theabove-described embodiment, the title information providing server 500sends TOC information to one title information DB 600 and requests asearch for title information, but there may be a case where titleinformation cannot be searched appropriately with one title informationDB alone. For example, there may be a case where a plurality of titleinformation pieces is searched or no title information piece issearched.

[0307] In this case, appropriate title information can be searched byrequesting other title information DB to search for the titleinformation. Hereunder, a system for transferring title information thatcan use a plurality of title information DBs will be explained.

[0308] As shown in FIG. 23, the system for transferring titleinformation according to this embodiment is provided with arecording/reproducing apparatus 100, a portable phone device 200, acommunication exchange 400, a title information providing server 500 aand a plurality of title information DBs 600 (title information DB 600a, title information DB 600 b, . . . ).

[0309] By the way, the configuration of the recording/reproducingapparatus 100 to communication exchange 400 is the same as theconfiguration of the first to third embodiments shown in FIG. 1.Furthermore, each title information DB 600 (title information DB 600 a,title information DB 600 b, . . . ) is also a database in which titleinformation is stored likewise.

[0310] As shown in FIG. 24, the title information providing server 500 ais provided with a communication processing section 510, a processingcontrol section 530 and a memory 550 a and sends the TOC informationsent from the communication exchange 400 by e-mail to each titleinformation DB 600 (title information DB 600 a, title information DB 600b, . . . ) using HTTP.

[0311] The title information providing server 500 also sends titleinformation which is sent back from any title information DB 600 usingHTTP to the user who requests this title information by e-mail.

[0312] The communication processing section 510 and processing controlsection 530 have the same configurations as those of the titleinformation providing server 500 shown in FIG. 4.

[0313] Furthermore, the memory 550 a stores a sender information table551, a user authentication information table 554, a title informationtable 566, an accounting calculation reference table 557, an accountingsum recording table 560 and a jacket picture table 569 and DB addresstable 571. The sender information table 551 to the jacket picture table569 have the same configuration as that of the title informationproviding server 500 (memory 550) shown in FIG. 4.

[0314] The DB address table 571 is a table to store an address of eachtitle information DB 600 (title information DB 600 a, title informationDB 600 b, . . . ). This DB address table 571 is referenced by theinquiry code transmission procession section 540.

[0315] Hereunder, an operation of a system for transferring titleinformation including the title information providing server 500 a insuch a configuration will be explained. Operations of therecording/reproducing apparatus 100, the portable phone device 200, thecommunication exchange 400 and the title information DB 600 out of thecomponents of the system for transferring title information are the sameas those of the above-described first to third embodiments.

[0316] Thus, the operations of the title information providing server500 a will be explained mainly using FIG. 25.

[0317] Suppose that the DB address table 571 of the title informationproviding server 500 a prestores an address of each title information DB600 (title information DB 600 a, title information DB 600 b, . . . ).Then, the recording/reproducing apparatus 100 starts a recordingoperation, etc., the TOC information read from the reproducing CD issupplied to the communication exchange 400 as e-mail and then theprocessing in FIG. 25 is started.

[0318] First, the title information providing server 500 a receivese-mail including TOC information from the communication exchange 400(step S11). That is, the e-mail reception processing section 531 in theprocessing control section 530 receives e-mail sent from thecommunication exchange 400 over the Internet INET through thecommunication processing section 510.

[0319] Then, the e-mail reception processing section 531 analyzes thecontent of the e-mail received and if the e-mail received has thecontent requesting a supply of title information, the e-mail receptionprocessing section 531 gives control to the user authentication section534 to allow it to perform user authentication processing (step S12).

[0320] That is, the user authentication section 534 performs theprocessing shown in FIG. 8 above and decides whether the userregistration corresponding to the sender telephone number has been madeor not.

[0321] When the user is authenticated by the user authenticationprocess, the e-mail reception processing section 531 selects onecurrently unused IP address from among the IP addresses owned by thetitle information providing server 500 a and stores it together with theTOC information and the sender telephone number included in the receivede-mail in the sender information table 551 (step S13).

[0322] The inquiry code transmission processing section 540 acquires theaddress corresponding to any one of the title information DBs 600 (titleinformation DB 600 a, etc.) from the DB address table 571 inpredetermined order (step S14).

[0323] The inquiry code transmission processing section 540 sends aninquiry code to the title information DB 600 (title information DB 600a, etc.) at the acquired address (step S15). That is, the inquiry codetransmission processing section 540 reads the TOC information stored inthe sender information table 551 and generates an inquiry codecorresponding to this TOC information and sends this inquiry code fromthe port to which the selected IP address is assigned to the titleinformation DB 600 at the acquired address using HTTP over the InternetINET.

[0324] Then, the title information providing server 500 a receives thesearch result sent from the title information DB 600 (step S16). Thatis, the response code reception processing section 543 receives thesearch result sent in a response code format from the title informationDB 600 through the communication processing section 510.

[0325] The response code reception processing section 543 decidesaccording to the search result whether the title information has beensearched appropriately or not (step S17). When a plurality of titleinformation pieces has been searched or no title information piece hasbeen searched, the response code reception processing section 543decides that the title information has not been searched appropriately.

[0326] When it is decided that the title information has not beensearched appropriately, the title information providing server 500 adecides whether all title information DBs 600 have already been searchedor not (step S18). That is, the title information providing server 500 adecides whether title information has not been searched appropriatelyeven if it requests a search for the title information at addresses ofall title information DBs 600 (title information DB 600 a, titleinformation DB 600 b, . . . ) stored in the DB address table 571.

[0327] When the title information providing server 500 a decides thatall title information DBs 600 have not been searched, it moves theprocess back to step S14 and executes the above-described processing insteps S14 to S18 repeatedly.

[0328] On the other hand, when the title information providing server500 a decides that all title information DBs 600 have been searched, thetitle information providing server 500 a sends the e-mail indicating“search disabled” to the sender (step S19). That is, the reply mailtransmission section 546 searches for the sender information table 551,specifies the sender user, and creates e-mail with the content that thetitle information, etc., has not been searched appropriately and sendsthis e-mail to the specified user.

[0329] Furthermore, when it is decided in step S17 above that the titleinformation has been searched correctly from the title information DB600, the response code reception processing section 543 temporarilystores the title information added to the response code in the titleinformation table 566 (step S20).

[0330] Then, the response code reception processing section 543 acquiresnecessary information from the sender information table 551 in thememory 550 (step S21). That is, the response code reception processingsection 543 searches for the telephone number of the sender from thesender information table 551 using the IP address assigned to the portat which the title information has been received as a key.

[0331] The response code reception processing section 543 notifies theuser accounting section 537 of the searched telephone number of thesender and allows the user accounting section 537 to perform useraccounting (step S22).

[0332] That is, the user accounting section 537 performs the processingas shown in FIG. 9 as described above to calculate the accounting sumand updates the accounting sum (accumulated accounting sum, etc.) of thesender user in the accounting sum recording table 560.

[0333] The reply mail transmission processing section 546 reads thetitle information temporarily stored in the title information table 566and at the same time references the jacket picture table 569 andacquires the jacket picture corresponding to the title information read(step S23). Then, the reply mail transmission processing section 546creates e-mail with the content of the title information and jacketpicture for the user specified by the search of the sender informationtable 551 and sends this e-mail thereto (step S24).

[0334] With the above-described configuration and operation, even if itis not possible to appropriately search the title information from onetitle information DB, it is possible to request a search for the titleinformation from other title information DBs, thus making it possible toprovide appropriate title information.

[0335] (Tenth Embodiment)

[0336] In the above-described system for transferring title informationaccording to the ninth embodiment, when title information from a titleinformation DB cannot be searched correctly, a search for the titleinformation in other title information DBs is requested. That is, whentitle information is searched correctly, the title information is nolonger searched in the remaining title information DBs.

[0337] However, a data format (e.g., kanji, hiragana, katakana,alphabetical characters) of title information controlled for each titleinformation DB may vary. For this reason, even if title information canbe searched and acquired in one title information DB, title informationmay also be stored in other title information DBs in a better dataformat.

[0338] That is, searching for title information from all titleinformation DBs and selecting appropriate title information among themwill provide the user (recording/reproducing apparatus 100, etc.) withmore useful title information. A system for transferring titleinformation capable of acquiring more useful title information from aplurality of title information DBs will be explained below.

[0339] The system for transferring title information according to thisembodiment is provided with a recording/reproducing apparatus 100, aportable phone device 200, a communication exchange 400, a titleinformation providing server 500 b and a plurality of title informationDBs 600 (title information DB 600 a, title information DB 600 b, . . .). That is, it is different from the system for transferring titleinformation according to the seventh embodiment shown in FIG. 19 only inthe title information providing server 500 b.

[0340] As shown in FIG. 26, the title information providing server 500 bis provided with a communication processing section 510, a processingcontrol section 530 and a memory 550 b. The communication processingsection 510 and processing control section 530 have the sameconfiguration as that of the title information providing server 500shown in FIG. 4.

[0341] Furthermore, the memory 550 b stores a sender information table551, a user authentication information table 554, a title informationtable 566, an accounting calculation reference table 557, an accountingsum recording table 560 and a jacket picture table 569, a DB addresstable 571 and a priority level specification table 572. The senderinformation table 551 to the jacket picture table 569 have the sameconfiguration as that of the title information providing server 500(memory 550) shown in FIG. 4. Furthermore, the DB address table 571 hasthe same configuration as that of the title information providing server500 a (memory 550 a) shown in FIG. 20.

[0342] The priority level specification table 572 is a table to storeinformation for specifying the priority level of a data format. Thispriority level of the data format is a priority level corresponding to adata format of title information that can be acquired from each titleinformation DB 600 (title information DB 600 a, title information DB 600b, . . . ). For example, the level of priority is specified indescending order for kanji, hiragana, katakana and alphabeticalcharacters, in that order.

[0343] Hereunder, an operation of the system for transferring titleinformation including the title information providing server 500 b insuch a configuration will be explained. Operations of therecording/reproducing apparatus 100, the portable phone device 200, thecommunication exchange 400 and the title information DB 600 out of thecomponents of the system for transferring title information are the sameas those of the first to third embodiments.

[0344] Thus, the operations of the title information providing server500 b will be explained mainly using FIG. 27.

[0345] Suppose that the DB address table 571 of the title informationproviding server 500 b prestores an address of each title information DB600 and the priority level specification table 572 prestores informationfor specifying the priority level for a data format of titleinformation. Then, the recording/reproducing apparatus 100 starts arecording operation, etc., the TOC information read from the reproducingCD is supplied to the communication exchange 400 as e-mail and then theprocessing in FIG. 23 is started.

[0346] First, the title information providing server 500 b receivese-mail including TOC information from the communication exchange 400(step S31). Then, the e-mail reception processing section 531 analyzesthe content of the received e-mail and if the received e-mail has thecontent requesting a supply of title information, the e-mail receptionprocessing section 531 gives control to the user authentication section534 to allow it to perform user authentication processing (step S32).

[0347] When the user is authenticated by the user authenticationprocess, the e-mail reception processing section 531 selects onecurrently unused IP address from among the IP addresses owned by thistitle information providing server 500 b and stores it together with theTOC information and the sender telephone number included in the receivede-mail in the sender information table 551 (step S33).

[0348] The inquiry code transmission processing section 540 acquires theaddress corresponding to any one of the title information DBs 600 fromthe DB address table 571 in a predetermined order (step S34).

[0349] The inquiry code transmission processing section 540 sends aninquiry code to the title information DB 600 at the acquired address(step S35). Then, the response code reception processing section 543receives the title information sent in a response code format from thetitle information DB 600 through the communication processing section510 and temporarily stores it in the title information table 566 (stepS36).

[0350] The title information providing server 500 b decides whether alltitle information DBs 600 have already been searched or not (step S37).When the title information providing server 500 a decides that all titleinformation DBs 600 have not been searched, it moves the process back tostep S34 and executes the above-described processing in steps S34 to S37repeatedly.

[0351] On the other hand, when the title information providing server500 b decides that all title information DBs 600 have been searched, thetitle information providing server 500 b selects title informationaccording to the priority level specification table 572 (step S38). Thatis, the response code reception processing section 543 analyzes the dataformat of each title information piece stored in the title informationtable 566. Then, the response code reception processing section 543selects the title information that matches the data format with thehighest priority stored in the priority level specification table 572out of data formats of all title information pieces.

[0352] Then, the response code reception processing section 543 acquiresnecessary information from the sender information table 551 in thememory 550 (step S39).

[0353] The response code reception processing section 543 notifies theuser accounting section 537 of the searched telephone number of thesender and allows the user accounting section 537 to perform useraccounting (step S40).

[0354] The reply mail transmission processing section 546 references thejacket picture table 569 and acquires the jacket picture correspondingto the title information selected in step S38 (step S41). Then, thereply mail transmission processing section 546 creates e-mail with thecontent of the title information and jacket picture for the userspecified by the search of the sender information table 551 and sendsthis e-mail thereto (step S42).

[0355] The above-described configuration and operation makes it possibleto provide the user (recording/reproducing apparatus 100, etc.) withuseful title information according to the priority level of the dataformat.

[0356] Furthermore, in the above-described eighth embodiment, the titleinformation providing server 500 b stores the priority levelspecification table 572 and selects useful title information accordingto this priority level specification table 572, but this embodiment canalso be adapted so as to make it possible to select title informationwithout depending on the priority level specification table 572.

[0357] For example, when the e-mail received from the communicationexchange 400 contains information indicating data formats that can berecorded or displayed by the recording/reproducing apparatus 100 orportable phone device 200, the title information providing server 500 bselects title information giving the highest priority to the dataformat. In this case, it is also possible to provide the user(recording/reproducing apparatus 100, etc.) with useful titleinformation.

[0358] The present invention is not limited to the above-describedembodiment, but can also be modified or applied in a variety of ways.

[0359] In the above-described embodiment, the title informationproviding server 500 (title information providing servers 500 a, 500 b)authenticates the user using the telephone number of the portable phonedevice 200, but any technique can be used for user authentication.

[0360] For example, it is possible to allow the recording/reproducingapparatus 100 and portable phone device 200, etc., to store the user'spersonal information (address, telephone number, date of birth, etc.),allow the portable phone device 200, etc., to send the user's personalinformation when accessing the title information providing server 500and thereby automatically carry out user authentication. Furthermore, itis also possible to allow the title information providing server 500 tostore user's personal information (address, telephone number, date ofbirth, etc.).

[0361] Furthermore, with the widespread use of IPv6, etc., when an IPaddress is numbered for each device, it is possible to store the IPaddress in the recording/reproducing apparatus 100 or portable phonedevice 200, etc., as the personal information.

[0362] (Eleventh Embodiment)

[0363] In the case of the system for transferring title information ofthe above-described embodiment, the case where the memory 280 of theportable phone device 200 or wired phone devices 200 a and 200 b storesa jacket picture acquired from the title information providing server500, etc., has been described. However, the jacket picture can be storednot only on the communication apparatus side (portable phone device 200,etc.) but also on the recording/reproducing apparatus side.

[0364] Furthermore, in that case, it is also possible to record musiccomposition data considering a strong electric field of the portablephone device, etc. A system for transferring title information in whicha jacket picture can also be stored on the recording/reproducingapparatus side will be explained below.

[0365] As shown in FIG. 19, the system for transferring titleinformation according to this embodiment is provided with arecording/reproducing apparatus 100 c, a portable phone device 200, acommunication exchange 400, a title information providing server 500 anda title information DB 600.

[0366] The portable phone device 200 to the title information DB 600have the same configuration as those of the first to third embodimentshown in FIG. 1.

[0367] As shown in FIG. 28, the recording/reproducing apparatus 100 c isconstructed of a processing control section 110, a signal processingsection 120, an interface 130, a key input section 140, a displaysection 150, a memory 160, a recording/reproducing section 170, a DAC180, a flash memory 185 and an image output section 195.

[0368] Here, the processing control section 110 to the DAC 180 have thesame configuration as that of the first to fourth embodiment shown inFIG. 2.

[0369] Upon reception of title information and a jacket picture sentfrom the portable phone device 200, the processing control section 110stores them in association with the TOC information in the flash memory185. Then, when reproducing a reproducing CD, the processing controlsection 110 reads the corresponding title information and jacket picturefrom the flash memory 185 and displays them on the display section 150in synchronization with reproduction of the music composition data.

[0370] The flash memory 185 is a non-volatile memory having apredetermined capacity and stores title information and jacket picture,etc., sent from the portable phone device 200 in association with TOCinformation.

[0371] The image output section 195 creates an image signal (picturesignal) that can be displayed on an external display device (e.g.,television set). More specifically, the image output section 195converts the jacket picture, etc., read from the flash memory 185 by theprocessing control section 110 to an image signal and outputs to theexternal display device.

[0372] Then, an operation of the system for transferring titleinformation including the recording/reproducing apparatus 100 c in theabove-described configuration will be explained. The operations of thecommunication exchange 400, title information providing server 500 andtitle information DB 600 out of the components of the system fortransferring title information are the same as those of theabove-described first to third embodiments.

[0373] Then, the operations of the recording/reproducing apparatus 100 cand portable phone device 200 will be explained with reference to FIG.29.

[0374] Suppose that when a jacket picture is acquired from the titleinformation providing server 500, the memory 280 of the portable phonedevice 200 stores transfer presence/absence information for specifyingwhether this jacket picture should be transferred to therecording/reproducing apparatus 100 c or not. The content (whether atransfer is required or not, etc.) of this transfer presence/absenceinformation can be arbitrarily set by the user.

[0375] First, when a reproducing CD is loaded, the recording/reproducingapparatus 100 c acquires the TOC information from this reproducing CD(step S11). Then, the recording/reproducing apparatus 100 c sends theTOC information acquired to the portable phone device 200 (step S12).

[0376] The recording/reproducing apparatus 100 c does not executesubsequent processes until the start of recording is instructed (stepS13). For example, the recording/reproducing apparatus 100 c waits untilthe user inputs information instructing the start of a recordingoperation through the key input section 140.

[0377] Upon reception of the TOC information sent from therecording/reproducing apparatus 100 c (step S31), the portable phonedevice 200 acquires the own telephone number from the memory 280 (stepS32). Then, the portable phone device 200 sends these TOC informationand telephone number to the title information providing server 500 overthe wireless public communication network WNET (step S33).

[0378] When the recording/reproducing apparatus 100 c decides that therecording start has been instructed, it sends communication suppressioninformation to instruct the suppression of a communication to theportable phone device 200 (step S14).

[0379] Then, the portable phone device 200 receives this communicationsuppression information sent from the recording/reproducing apparatus100 c and suppresses a communication with the outside (step S34). Forexample, the communication function is totally stopped when the powersupply control section 241 shuts off a power supply from the powersupply section 220 or the power supply control section 241 shuts off apower supply to the communication processing section 210, etc.

[0380] The portable phone device 200 does not execute the subsequentprocesses until it receives suppression cancellation information toinstruct the cancellation of communication suppression from therecording/reproducing apparatus 100 c (step S35).

[0381] On the other hand, the recording/reproducing apparatus 100 ccontrols the recording/reproducing section 170 to reproduce areproducing CD and records the music composition data on a recording MD(step S15). Since the portable phone device 200 suppresses acommunication with the outside during this recording, there is nopossibility that noise from high frequency radio signals of the portablephone device 200 will mix into the music composition data recorded onthe recording MD.

[0382] The recording/reproducing apparatus 100 c continues the recordingoperation until the recording is completed (step S16).

[0383] Then, when the recording/reproducing apparatus 100 c decides thatthe recording is completed, it sends suppression cancellationinformation to the portable phone device 200 (step S17).

[0384] Upon reception of the suppression cancellation information fromthe recording/reproducing apparatus 100 c, the portable phone device 200cancels the suppression of a communication with the outside (step S36).For example, the communication function is totally recovered when thepower supply control section 241 resumes a power supply from the powersupply section 220 or the power supply control section 241 resumes apower supply to the communication processing section 210, etc.

[0385] Then, the portable phone device 200 receives title informationand a jacket picture from the title information providing server 500(step S37). Then, the portable phone device 200 sends the titleinformation among them to the recording/reproducing apparatus 100 c(step S38).

[0386] On the other hand, the recording/reproducing apparatus 100 creceives the title information sent from the portable phone device 200and stores it in the flash memory 185 (step S18). In this case, therecording/reproducing apparatus 100 c stores the title information inassociation with the TOC information.

[0387] The portable phone device 200 decides whether the jacket pictureshould be transferred to the recording/reproducing apparatus 100 c ornot (step S39). That is, the portable phone device 200 decides whetherthe jacket picture needs to be transferred or not according to thetransfer presence/absence information stored in the memory 280.

[0388] Even if it is decided that the transfer presence/absenceinformation need not be transferred, if there is not space enough torecord the jacket picture in the portable phone device 200, the portablephone device 200 decides that the transfer to the recording/reproducingapparatus 100 c is necessary.

[0389] When the portable phone device 200 decides that the transfer isnecessary (step S39: Yes), it sends the received jacket picture to therecording/reproducing apparatus 100 c (step S40). Furthermore, if itdecides that the jacket picture need not be transferred (step S39: No),the portable phone device 200 records the received jacket picture in thememory 280 and displays the jacket picture on the own display section250 (step S41). In this case, the portable phone device 200 stores thejacket picture in association with the TOC information.

[0390] On the other hand, the recording/reproducing apparatus 100 cdecides whether the jacket picture is sent or not from the portablephone device 200 (step S19). When it is decided that the jacket pictureis sent (step S19: Yes), the recording/reproducing apparatus 100 creceives the jacket picture sent and stores it in the flash memory 185(step S20). In this case, the recording/reproducing apparatus 100 cstores the jacket picture in association with the TOC information.

[0391] The recording/reproducing apparatus 100 c records the titleinformation, etc., on a recording MD (step S21). Therecording/reproducing apparatus 100 c can record not only the titleinformation but also the jacket picture on the recording MD if thejacket picture can be recorded on the recording MD.

[0392] The above-described configuration and operation allows the jacketpicture to be recorded on the recording/reproducing apparatus 100 cside, too. Furthermore, since the communication function of the portablephone device 200 is stopped during recording of the music compositiondata, it is possible to prevent noise, etc. due to influences of astrong electric field from mixing into the music composition datarecorded on the recording MD.

[0393] The present invention is not limited to the above-describedembodiment, but can be modified or applied in a variety of ways.

[0394] The above-described embodiment has described the case wherecommunications between the communication apparatus on the recordingapparatus side and the communication exchange on the informationproviding side are executed via a wireless or wired public communicationnetwork. However, communications between the communication apparatus andcommunication exchange can also be executed via a private communicationnetwork or directly connected cable, etc.

[0395] Furthermore, the above-described embodiment has described thecase where the communication exchange, title information providingserver and title information database communicate with one another overthe Internet. However, communications among these elements can also beexecuted via a private communication network or directly connectedcable, etc.

[0396] In the above-described second embodiment, a wirelesscommunication with the outside is suppressed first, recording of themusic composition data on a recording MD is started, recording of allmusic composition data is completed, and then the suppression of thewireless communication is canceled and a wireless communication isexecuted to acquire title information and a jacket picture. However, itis also possible to execute suppression or cancellation of thesuppression of a wireless communication at timings different from theabove-described timings.

[0397] For example, it is possible to execute suppression orcancellation of the suppression of a wireless communication at thefollowing timings. First, TOC information is sent from therecording/reproducing apparatus to the title information providingserver through a wireless communication and the title information sentback from the title information providing server is received by therecording/reproducing apparatus in response to this transmission. Then,after the reception of the title information is completed, completioninformation indicating the completion of the reception is sent from therecording/reproducing apparatus to the communication apparatus. Thecommunication apparatus that has received this completion informationsuppresses the wireless communication. Then, the recording/reproducingapparatus starts the recording of music composition data on a recordingMD. When the recording of all music composition data is completed, therecording/reproducing apparatus sends recording end informationindicating the end of recording to the communication apparatus. Thecommunication apparatus that has received this recording end informationcancels the suppression of the wireless communication.

[0398] Or, for example, it is also possible to execute suppression orcancellation of the suppression of a wireless communication at thefollowing timings. First, TOC information is sent from therecording/reproducing apparatus to the title information providingserver through a wireless communication. Then, before a reply from thetitle information providing server, recording start informationindicating the start of recording is sent from the recording/reproducingapparatus to the communication apparatus. The communication apparatusthat has received this recording start information suppresses thewireless communication. Then, the recording/reproducing apparatus startsrecording of music composition data on a recording MD. After therecording of all music composition data is completed, therecording/reproducing apparatus sends recording end informationindicating the end of recording to the communication apparatus. Thecommunication apparatus that has received this recording end informationcancels the suppression of the wireless communication. Then, thecommunication apparatus receives the title information and jacketpicture sent back from the information providing server according to theTOC information sent before the radio communication is suppressed. Then,the communication apparatus sends the received title information to therecording/reproducing apparatus.

[0399] The above-described embodiment has described the case where ajacket picture which is an image indicating the appearance of areproducing CD on sale at a store is prestored in a jacket picture tablein the title information providing server. However, the place wherejacket pictures are stored is not limited to the title informationproviding server. For example, it is possible to store the jacketpicture in advance in the title information database, etc., and supplythe jacket picture corresponding to the TOC information together withthe title information from the title information database, etc.Furthermore, an image to be supplied is not limited to a jacket pictureindicating the appearance of a reproducing CD, but it is possible tosupply, for example, an arbitrary photo of an artist related to thereproducing CD.

[0400] The above-described embodiment has described the case where arecording MD is used as a recoding medium to be used for recording andrecording title information. However, the recoding medium is not limitedto a recording MD, and it is also possible to use a CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-Ror DVD-RW, etc., as the recording medium.

[0401] The title information providing server in the above-describedembodiment authenticates the user and executes accounting processingusing a received telephone number as a key. However, it is also possibleto send an e-mail address of the user instead of the telephone numberfrom the recording/reproducing apparatus to the title informationproviding server and execute user authentication or accountingprocessing using the e-mail address as a key.

[0402] The title information providing server in the above-describedembodiment sends back the jacket picture corresponding to the TOCinformation sent from the recording/reproducing apparatus included inthe text of the e-mail. However, jacket pictures can be provided in anymode and not limited to transmission of jacket pictures included in thetext of e-mail alone. For example, it is also possible to attach imagedata of a jacket picture to e-mail and send it or send HTML-formatdocuments, etc., according to a communication protocol such as HTTP.

[0403] The above-described third embodiment has described the case whererecording is temporarily stopped when there is an incoming call from theoutside during recording of music composition data. The reason thatrecording is temporarily stopped during recording is to prevent noise/anoise signal from mixing into magnetic recording due to high frequencyradio waves.

[0404] In this case, it is preferable to automatically and appropriatelyresume recording of the music composition data whose recording isstopped. To automatically resume the recording of the interrupted musiccomposition data, for example, the following technique can be used.

[0405] First, the moment an incoming call arrives at the portable phonedevice from outside, the recording/reproducing apparatus detects thetrack in the reproducing CD including the music composition data beingrecorded on the recording MD and the recording position of the recordingMD, and stores the track number and recording position. Then, after thecommunication of the portable phone device with the outside iscompleted, the recording information recorded at the recording positioncorresponding to the track number stored in the recording MD is erased.Then, the reproducing CD is reproduced from the start of the trackcorresponding to the track number stored and the music composition datareproduced is recorded on the recording MD.

[0406] This makes it possible to record music composition data of highquality free of noise due to incoming calls during recording.

[0407] Furthermore, the following technique is also available for thisprocessing.

[0408] First, when the recording/reproducing apparatus receives incomingcall notification information from the portable phone device duringrecording of music composition data on the recording MD, therecording/reproducing apparatus stops the recording of the musiccomposition data and erases the portion (and the portion immediatelypreceding (0.5 to 2 sec) thereto) being recorded at the moment of thearrival of the incoming call from the recording MD. Then, afterreceiving a notice that the communication has completed from theportable phone device, the recording/reproducing apparatus reproducesthe reproducing CD from the start position of the portion of the erasedmusic composition data and resumes the recording on the recording MD.This also makes it possible to record music composition data of highquality free of noise due to incoming calls during recording.Furthermore, reproducing the reproducing CD from the start of a trackmakes it possible to shorten the recording time and is effective inrecording music composition data of a long playing time.

[0409] Furthermore, after temporarily storing the music composition datareproduced from the reproducing CD in memory, if the music compositiondata stored in this memory is read and recorded on the recording MD, thefollowing processing is also possible.

[0410] First, upon reception of incoming call notification informationfrom the portable phone device, the recording/reproducing apparatuserases the music composition data stored in the memory from the memorywithout recording it on the recording MD and at the same time stops therecording of the music composition data on the recording MD. Then, afterthe communication of the portable phone device with the outside iscompleted, the recording/reproducing apparatus reproduces the portion(and the portion immediately preceding (0.5 to 2 sec) thereto) of themusic composition data erased from the memory at the time of the arrivalof the incoming call from the reproducing CD and stores it in thememory. Then, the music composition data stored in the memory isrecorded on the recording MD from the position (and the portionimmediately preceding (0.5 to 2 sec) thereto) at which the recording isstopped. Doing so also makes it possible to record music compositiondata of high quality free of noise due to incoming calls duringrecording. Furthermore, it is possible to shorten the recording time incomparison with the case of reproducing the reproducing CD from thestart of a track.

[0411] By stopping or resuming the recording on the recording MD asdescribed above, the portion of the music composition data beingrecorded at the time of the arrival of a wireless communication orsuppression of recording is erased and recording on the recording MD isresumed from the erased portion of the music composition data, andtherefore it is possible to prevent noise or a noise signal from mixinginto the recorded data on the recording MD.

[0412] The above-described fifth embodiment has described the case wherethe recording/reproducing apparatus and wired phone device are connectedvia a wireless interface and the wired phone device and communicationexchange are connected via a wired public communication network. It isalso possible to adopt a configuration with the wired phone devicereplaced by a portable phone device and with the wired publiccommunication network replaced by a wireless public communicationnetwork.

[0413] Furthermore, the above-described sixth embodiment has describedthe configuration including a recording/reproducing apparatus providedwith functions of a communication apparatus as a wired phone device, butit is also possible to adopt a configuration including arecording/reproducing apparatus provided with functions of acommunication apparatus as a portable phone device capable of wirelesscommunications.

[0414] Furthermore, the above-described embodiment has described thecase where an accounting sum is calculated and recorded for each userspecified by the telephone number of the sender, that is, the portablephone device 200. However, it is possible to send an apparatus number,etc., specific to a recording/reproducing apparatus instead of aportable phone device to a title information providing server andcalculate or record the accounting sum for each apparatus number.

[0415] The above-described embodiment has described the programs forprocessing the operation of the system for transferring titleinformation as having been prestored in memory. However, these programscan also be stored in a computer-readable recording medium such as anFD, CD-ROM and DVD and distributed. Or it is also possible to storethose programs in a disc apparatus owned by a server apparatus on theInternet and download them superimposed on a carrier to a computer.

EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION

[0416] As explained above, the present invention can acquire attributeinformation of music composition data recorded on a reproducing mediumfrom an attribute information providing server and easily record ittogether with the music composition data on a recording medium, etc.Furthermore, the present invention can easily acquire and use attributeinformation of music composition data.

[0417] Furthermore, the present invention can appropriately provideattribute information recorded on a reproducing medium.

[0418] Furthermore, the present invention can appropriately record musiccomposition data, etc., considering influences of communicationapparatuses on communications.

1. A system for transferring information on attribute comprising arecording/reproducing apparatus that reproduces music composition datafrom a reproducing medium and records the music composition data on arecording medium and an attribute information providing server which isconnected to said recording/reproducing apparatus through acommunication and provides attribute information indicating an attributeof the music composition data recorded on the reproducing medium,characterized in that said recording/reproducing apparatus comprising:identification information acquiring means for acquiring identificationinformation on the reproducing medium from the reproducing medium;identification information transmitting means for transmitting theidentification information acquired from said identification informationacquiring means to said attribute information providing server;attribute information receiving means for receiving the attributeinformation sent from said attribute information providing server; andrecording means for recording the attribute information received by saidattribute information receiving means on a recording medium, and saidattribute information providing server comprising: identificationinformation receiving means for receiving the identification informationsent from said identification information transmitting means; attributeinformation acquiring means for acquiring attribute informationcorresponding to the identification information received from saididentification information receiving means by accessing an attributeinformation database in which attribute information is prestored; andattribute information transmitting means for transmitting the attributeinformation acquired from said attribute information acquiring means tosaid recording/reproducing apparatus through a communication.
 2. Thesystem for transferring information on attribute according to claim 1,further comprising a communication apparatus which is connected to saididentification information transmitting means and said attributeinformation receiving means of said recording/reproducing apparatus,transmits the identification information transmitted from saididentification information transmitting means to said attributeinformation providing server according to a predetermined communicationsystem, receives the attribute information sent back from said attributeinformation providing server according to said predeterminedcommunication system in response to the transmission of saididentification information and provides the received attributeinformation to said attribute information receiving means.
 3. The systemfor transferring information on attribute according to claim 2, furthercomprising a communication exchange apparatus which is connected to saidcommunication apparatus via a public communication network, connected tosaid attribute information providing server via a network, receives theidentification information from said recording/reproducing apparatus viasaid public communication network, converts a protocol and then sendssaid identification information to said attribute information providingserver through said network, receives the attribute information sentback from said attribute information providing server in response to thetransmission of said identification information through a network,converts the protocol and then sends said attribute information to saidrecording/reproducing apparatus via said public communication network.4. The system for transferring information on attribute according toclaim 2 or claim 3, characterized in that said recording/reproducingapparatus further comprises signal transmitting means for transmitting afirst signal corresponding to the start of recording of the musiccomposition data for said recording medium and a second signalcorresponding to the end of recording of the music composition data forsaid recording medium to said communication apparatus, and saidcommunication apparatus further comprising: signal receiving means forreceiving said first and second signals from said recording/reproducingapparatus; and communication suppressing means for suppressing awireless communication in response to the reception of the first signalby said signal receiving means and canceling the suppression of thewireless communication in response to the reception of said secondsignal by said signal receiving means.
 5. The system for transferringinformation on attribute according to claim 2 or claim 3, characterizedin that said recording/reproducing apparatus further comprising: firstsignal transmitting means for transmitting a first signal correspondingto the completion of the reception of the attribute information by saidattribute information receiving means to said communication apparatus;recording starting means for starting the recording of the musiccomposition data on said recording medium after transmitting said firstsignal; and second signal transmitting means for transmitting a secondsignal corresponding to the completion of the recording of the musiccomposition data on said recording medium to said communicationapparatus, and said communication apparatus further comprising: signalreceiving means for receiving said first and second signals from saidrecording/reproducing apparatus; and communication suppressing means forsuppressing a wireless communication in response to the reception ofsaid first signal by said signal receiving means and canceling thesuppression of the wireless communication in response to the receptionof said second signal.
 6. The system for transferring information onattribute according to claim 2 or claim 3, characterized in that saidrecording/reproducing apparatus further comprises signal transmittingmeans for transmitting a first signal to said communication apparatus inresponse to the transmission of the identification information from saididentification information transmitting means to said attributeinformation providing server through said communication apparatus andtransmitting a second signal to said communication apparatus in responseto the end of the recording of the music composition data on saidrecording medium, and said communication apparatus further comprising:signal receiving means for receiving said first and second signals sentfrom said signal transmitting means; communication suppressing means forsuppressing a wireless communication in response to the reception ofsaid first signal by said signal receiving means, canceling thesuppression of the wireless communication in response to the receptionof said second signal and enabling the reception of the attributeinformation provided from said attribute information providing server;and means for supplying the attribute information received through awireless communication to said attribute information receiving means ofsaid recording/reproducing apparatus.
 7. The system for transferringinformation on attribute according to any one of claim 4, 5 and 6,characterized in that said communication suppressing means suppresses awireless communication while enabling execution of processing involvingno wireless communication.
 8. The system for transferring information onattribute according to claim 2 or claim 3, characterized in that saidcommunication apparatus further comprising: incoming call notificationinformation transmitting means for transmitting incoming callnotification information for notifying the arrival of a wirelesscommunication to said recording/reproducing apparatus; and communicationend information transmitting means for transmitting communication endinformation for notifying the end of the wireless communication to saidrecording/reproducing apparatus, and said recording/reproducingapparatus further comprising: incoming call notification informationreceiving means for receiving incoming call notification informationsent from said incoming call notification information transmittingmeans; recording suppressing means for temporarily suppressing therecording of the music composition data on said recording medium inresponse to the reception of the incoming call notification informationby said incoming call notification information receiving means;communication end information receiving means for receiving thecommunication end information sent by said communication end informationtransmitting means; and recording resuming means for resuming therecording of the music composition data temporarily suppressed by saidrecording suppressing means on said recording medium in response to thereception of the communication end information by said communication endinformation receiving means.
 9. The system for transferring informationon attribute according to claim 2 or claim 3, characterized in that saidattribute information providing server comprising: image informationtable that prestores image information corresponding to theidentification information from said recording/reproducing apparatus bysaid identification information transmitting means; image informationacquiring means for acquiring the image information stored inassociation with the identification information received by saididentification information receiving means from said image informationtable; and image information transmitting means for transmitting saidimage information acquired from said image information acquiring meansto said communication apparatus, and said communication apparatuscomprising: image information receiving/storing means for receiving andstoring the image information sent from said attribute informationproviding server by said image information transmitting means; anddisplaying means for displaying an image according to the imageinformation stored in said image information receiving/storing means.10. The system for transferring information on attribute according toclaim 2 or claim 3, characterized in that said attribute informationproviding server comprising: an image information table that prestoresimage information corresponding to the identification information fromsaid recording/reproducing apparatus by said identification informationtransmitting means; image information acquiring means for acquiring theimage information stored in association with the identificationinformation received by said identification information receiving meansfrom said image information table; and image information transmittingmeans for transmitting said image information acquired by said imageinformation acquiring means to said communication apparatus, saidcommunication apparatus comprising: image information transferring meansfor transferring the image information sent from said attributeinformation providing server by said image information transmittingmeans to said recording/reproducing apparatus; and displaying means fordisplaying an image according to the image information forwarded fromsaid recording/reproducing apparatus, and said recording/reproducingapparatus comprising: image information storing means for storing theimage information transferred by said image information transferringmeans; and image information forwarding means for forwarding the imageinformation stored in said image information storing means to saidcommunication apparatus.
 11. The system for transferring information onattribute according to claim 1, further comprising a communicationexchange apparatus which is connected to said recording/reproducingapparatus via a public communication network, connected to saidattribute information providing server via a network, receives theidentification information from said recording/reproducing apparatus viasaid public communication network, converts a protocol and then sendssaid identification information to said attribute information providingserver via said network, receives the attribute information sent backfrom said attribute information providing server in response to thetransmission of said identification information via a network, convertsthe protocol and then sends said attribute information to saidrecording/reproducing apparatus via said public communication network.12. The system for transferring information on attribute according toany one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that saidrecording/reproducing apparatus further comprises communicationsuppressing means for suppressing a wireless communication in responseto the start of recording of the music composition data on saidrecording medium and canceling the suppression of the wirelesscommunication in response to the end of recording of the musiccomposition data on said recording medium.
 13. The system fortransferring information on attribute according to any one of claims 1to 3, characterized in that said recording/reproducing apparatus furthercomprising: recording suppressing means for temporarily suppressing therecording of the music composition data on said recording medium inresponse to the arrival of a wireless communication; and recordingresuming means for resuming the recording of the music composition dataon said recording medium in response to the end of said wirelesscommunication.
 14. The system for transferring information on attributeaccording to claim 8 or claim 13, characterized in that said recordingresuming means resumes the recording on said recording medium from thestart of the music composition data whose recording is suppressed bysaid recording suppressing means.
 15. The system for transferringinformation on attribute according to claim 8 or claim 14, characterizedin that said recording resuming means substantially erases a portion ofthe music composition data already recorded at the time at which thewireless communication arrives or at the time at which the recording issuppressed by said recording suppressing means and resumes the recordingon said recording medium from the portion whose said music compositiondata has been erased.
 16. The system for transferring information onattribute according to any one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in thatsaid identification information transmitting means transmits theidentification information including sender information for identifyingsaid recording/reproducing apparatus to said attribute informationproviding server, and said attribute information providing server sendsthe attribute information acquired by accessing said attributeinformation database to the recording/reproducing apparatuscorresponding to said sender information sent by said identificationinformation transmitting means.
 17. The system for transferringinformation on attribute according to any one of claims 1 to 16,characterized in that said identification information includes TOCinformation on the number of music pieces recorded and recording time ofthe music composition data recorded on said reproducing medium, and saidattribute information includes at least one of information pieces of adisc title, music title, composer, music score, and lyrics.
 18. Anattribute information providing server that reproduces music compositiondata from a reproducing medium and is connected to arecording/reproducing apparatus for recording the music composition dataon a recording medium through a communication, comprising:identification information receiving means for receiving identificationinformation sent from said recording/reproducing apparatus; attributeinformation acquiring means for acquiring attribute informationcorresponding to the identification information received by saididentification information receiving means by accessing an attributeinformation database that prestores attribute information; and attributeinformation transmitting means for transmitting the attributeinformation acquired by said attribute information acquiring means tosaid recording/reproducing apparatus through a communication.
 19. Theattribute information providing server according to claim 18, furthercomprising: an image information table that prestores image informationspecific to each of said identification information pieces; imageinformation acquiring means for acquiring image information stored inassociation with the identification information received from saidrecording/reproducing apparatus from said image information table; andimage information transmitting means for transmitting said imageinformation acquired by said image information acquiring means to saidrecording/reproducing apparatus.
 20. A method for transferringinformation on attribute comprising a recording/reproducing apparatusthat reproduces music composition data from a reproducing medium andrecords the music composition data on a recording medium and anattribute information providing server that is connected to saidrecording/reproducing apparatus through a communication and providesattribute information indicating an attribute of the music compositiondata recorded on the reproducing medium, characterized by comprising: anidentification information acquiring step of acquiring identificationinformation on the reproducing medium; an identification informationtransmitting step of transmitting the identification informationacquired in said identification information acquiring step to saidattribute information providing server through said communication; anidentification information receiving step of receiving theidentification information sent in said identification informationtransmitting step by said attribute information providing server; anattribute information acquiring step of acquiring attribute informationcorresponding to the identification information received in saididentification information receiving step by accessing an attributeinformation database that prestores attribute information; attributeinformation transmitting step of transmitting the attribute informationacquired in said attribute information acquiring step to saidrecording/reproducing apparatus through said communication; an attributeinformation receiving step of receiving the attribute information sentfrom said attribute information providing server by saidrecording/reproducing apparatus; and a recording step of recording theattribute information received in said attribute information receivingstep on a recording medium.
 21. A communication apparatus which isconnected to a reproducing apparatus for reproducing music compositiondata from a reproducing medium and communicates with an informationproviding server for providing image information on the reproducingmedium on demand, characterized by comprising: identificationinformation receiving means for receiving identification information ofthe reproducing medium sent from said reproducing apparatus; imageinformation receiving means for transmitting the identificationinformation received by said identification information receiving meansto said information providing server and receiving the image informationsent back from said information providing server in response to thetransmission of said identification information; and image informationstoring means for storing the image information received by said imageinformation receiving means in association with the identificationinformation received by said identification information receiving means.22. The communication apparatus according to claim 21, furthercomprising: deciding means for deciding whether or not to store theimage information received by said image information receiving means insaid image information storing means; and image information transmittingmeans for transmitting the image information received by said imageinformation receiving means to said reproducing apparatus when saiddeciding means decides that the image information is not stored in saidimage information storing means.
 23. A communication apparatus which isconnected to a reproducing apparatus for reproducing music compositiondata from a reproducing medium and communicates with an informationproviding server for providing image information on the reproducingmedium on demand, characterized by comprising: image information storingmeans for storing image information related to the reproducing medium inassociation with identification information for identifying thereproducing medium; identification information receiving means forreceiving identification information of the reproducing medium sent fromsaid reproducing apparatus; acquiring means for acquiring the targetimage information from said image information storing means according tothe identification information received by said identificationinformation receiving means; and displaying means for displaying animage according to the image information acquired by said acquiringmeans.
 24. A communication apparatus which is connected to a reproducingapparatus for reproducing music composition data from a reproducingmedium and communicates with an information providing server forproviding image information on the reproducing medium on demand,characterized by comprising: instruction information receiving means forreceiving image information on the reproducing medium sent from saidreproducing apparatus and instruction information for instructing thedisplay of the image; and displaying means for displaying the imageaccording to the image information received by said instructioninformation receiving means in response to the instruction informationreceived by said instruction information receiving means.
 25. Acommunication apparatus which is connected to a reproducing apparatusfor reproducing music composition data from a reproducing medium andcommunicates with an information providing server for providing imageinformation on the reproducing medium on demand, characterized bycomprising: image information storing means for storing imageinformation on the reproducing medium in association with identificationinformation for identifying the reproducing medium; identificationinformation receiving means for receiving identification information ofthe reproducing medium sent from said reproducing apparatus; decidingmeans for deciding whether the image information corresponding to theidentification information received by said identification informationreceiving means is stored in said image information storing means ornot; image information acquiring means for acquiring, when said decidingmeans decides that the image information is stored in said imageinformation storing means, the corresponding image information from saidimage information storing means and sending, when said deciding meansdecides that the image information is not stored in said imageinformation storing means, the identification information received bysaid identification information receiving means to said informationproviding server and acquires image information sent back from saidinformation providing server in response to the transmission of saididentification information; and displaying means for displaying an imagecorresponding to the image information acquired by said imageinformation acquiring means.
 26. A recording/reproducing apparatus whichis connected to a communication apparatus that communicates with anattribute information providing server that provides attributeinformation including text information and image information on areproducing medium on demand and records music composition datareproduced from the reproducing medium on a recording medium,comprising: identification information acquiring means for acquiringidentification information for identifying the reproducing medium fromthe reproducing medium as the reproduction target; and identificationinformation transmitting means for transmitting the identificationinformation acquired by said identification information acquiring meansto said communication apparatus in order for said communicationapparatus to receive a supply of attribute information from saidattribute information providing server in connection with areproducing/recording operation of recording the music composition datareproduced from the reproducing medium on the recording medium.
 27. Therecording/reproducing apparatus according to claim 26, furthercomprising: attribute information receiving means for receivingattribute information sent back from said communication apparatus whichreceives a supply of attribute information from said attributeinformation providing server in response to the transmission of theidentification information by said identification informationtransmitting means; attribute information storing means for storing theattribute information received by said attribute information receivingmeans in association with the identification information received bysaid identification information acquiring means; and attributeinformation displaying means for displaying the target attributeinformation stored in said information storing means when the targetreproducing medium is loaded or reproduced.
 28. Therecording/reproducing apparatus according to claim 26, furthercomprising: attribute information receiving means for receivingattribute information sent back from said communication apparatus thathas received a supply of attribute information from said attributeinformation providing server in response to the transmission of theidentification information by said identification informationtransmitting means; and recording means for recording the attributeinformation received by said attribute information receiving meanstogether with music composition data to be recorded on a recordingmedium.
 29. The recording/reproducing apparatus according to claim 26,further comprising: deciding means for deciding whether attributeinformation is recorded on the reproducing medium or not; transmissioncontrolling means for suppressing, when said deciding means decides thatattribute information is recorded, the transmission of identificationinformation by said identification information transmitting means;attribute information acquiring means for acquiring, when saidtransmission controlling means suppresses the transmission of theidentification information by said identification informationtransmitting means, the attribute information recorded on thereproducing medium; and recording means for recording the attributeinformation acquired by said attribute information acquiring meanstogether with music composition data to be recorded on a recordingmedium.
 30. The recording/reproducing apparatus according to claim 27,characterized in that said identification information transmitting meanstransmits identification information to said communication apparatusthat has received a supply of attribute information including imageinformation from said attribute information providing server inconnection with a reproducing operation of reproducing music compositiondata.
 31. The recording/reproducing apparatus according to claim 27,further comprising: image information acquiring means for acquiringimage information on the reproducing medium as the reproduction targetfrom said attribute information recording means; and instructioninformation transmitting means for transmitting the image informationacquired by said image information acquiring means and instructioninformation for instructing a display of said image information to saidcommunication apparatus.
 32. An information providing server whichprovides attribute information indicating an attribute of musiccomposition data recorded on a reproducing medium at the request of arequesting device connected via a network, comprising: identificationinformation receiving means for receiving identification information foridentifying a reproducing medium sent from said requesting device;attribute information acquiring means for acquiring target attributeinformation according to the identification information received by saididentification information receiving means by accessing a database thatprestores a plurality of attribute information pieces; and accesscontrolling means for allowing said attribute information acquiringmeans to access an arbitrary database and change the access target ofsaid attribute information acquiring means to another database, whensaid attribute information acquiring means cannot acquire the targetattribute information and allowing said attribute information acquiringmeans to acquire the target attribute information.
 33. An informationproviding server which provides attribute information indicating anattribute of music composition data recorded on a reproducing medium atthe request of a requesting device connected via a network, comprising:identification information receiving means for receiving identificationinformation for identifying a reproducing medium sent from saidrequesting device; attribute information acquiring means for acquiringtarget attribute information according to the identification informationreceived by said identification information receiving means bysequentially accessing a plurality of databases that prestore aplurality of attribute information pieces; selecting means for selectingone out of a plurality of attribute information pieces acquired by saidattribute information acquiring means according to a priority levelbased on a predetermined data format of attribute information; andattribute information replying means for replying the attributeinformation selected by said selecting means to said requesting device.34. The information providing server according to claim 32, furthercomprising attribute information replying means for replying theattribute information acquired by said attribute information acquiringmeans to said requesting device, characterized in that said accesscontrolling means stops a change of the access destination to otherdatabases when said attribute information acquiring means accesses anarbitrary database and acquires target attribute informationsuccessfully.
 35. The information providing server according to claims32 to 34, further comprising converting means for converting theattribute information acquired by said attribute information acquiringmeans to a predetermined data format that can be received by saidrequesting device.
 36. A recording/reproducing apparatus which isconnected to a communication apparatus that communicates with anattribute information providing server that provides attributeinformation on a reproducing medium on demand and carries out areproducing/recording operation of recording the music composition datareproduced from the reproducing medium on a recording medium,comprising: identification information acquiring means for acquiringidentification information for identifying the reproducing medium fromthe reproducing medium as the reproduction target; identificationinformation transmitting means for transmitting the identificationinformation acquired by said identification information acquiring meansto said communication apparatus in order to request a supply ofattribute information in a predetermined data format for said attributeinformation providing server; attribute information receiving means forreceiving attribute information sent back by said communicationapparatus in response to the transmission of identification informationby said identification information transmitting means; and recordingmeans for recording the attribute information received by said attributeinformation receiving means together with the music composition datarecorded on a recording medium.
 37. The recording/reproducing apparatusaccording to claim 36, further comprising control instructing means forsending communication suppression information for instructing thesuppression of an information communication to said communicationapparatus in synchronization with the start of a reproducing/recordingoperation and sending suppression cancellation information forinstructing the cancellation of the suppressed information communicationto said communication apparatus in synchronization with the end of thereproducing/recording operation.
 38. The recording/reproducing apparatusaccording to claim 36, characterized in that said identificationinformation transmitting means sends identification information to saidcommunication apparatus in connection with the end of thereproducing/recording operation.
 39. The recording/reproducing apparatusaccording to claim 36, further comprising operation controlling meansfor starting a reproducing/recording operation in connection with thereception of attribute information by said attribute informationreceiving means.
 40. The recording/reproducing apparatus according toclaim 36, further comprising: communication suppression instructingmeans for sending communication suppression information for instructingthe suppression of an information communication to said communicationapparatus after said identification information transmitting means sendsidentification information; operation controlling means for starting areproducing/recording operation in connection with the transmission ofthe communication suppression information by said communicationsuppression instructing means; and suppression cancellation instructingmeans for sending suppression cancellation information for instructingthe cancellation of the suppressed information communication to saidcommunication apparatus in connection with the end of thereproducing/recording operation started by said operation controllingmeans.
 41. The recording/reproducing apparatus according to claim 36,further comprising: communication state detecting means for detectingthe start and end of an information communication in said communicationapparatus; and operation controlling means for stopping thereproducing/recording operation when said communication state detectingmeans detects the start of an information communication halfway throughthe reproducing/recording operation and resuming thereproducing/recording operation when said communication state detectingmeans detects the end of the information communication.
 42. Therecording/reproducing apparatus according to claim 41, characterized inthat said operation controlling means controls the reproducing/recordingoperation carried out while storing music composition data in a memoryof a predetermined capacity, discards the music composition data storedin the memory when said communication state detecting means detects thestart of an information communication and the reproducing/recordingoperation is stopped and stores the music composition data correspondingto the discarded music composition data in the memory from the beginningwhen said communication state detecting means detects the end of theinformation communication and the reproducing/recording operation isresumed.
 43. The recording/reproducing apparatus according to claim 41,characterized in that said operation controlling means deletes the musiccomposition data being recorded on the recording medium from therecording medium when said communication state detecting means detectsthe start of the information communication and stops thereproducing/recording operation and records the music composition datacorresponding to the deleted music composition data on the recordingmedium when said communication state detecting means detects the end ofthe information communication and the reproducing/recording operation isresumed.